USMNT

American Youth Soccer Media Survey

Published

5 months ago

November 19, 2023

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

USMNT

USMNT Kits Come in Different Styles and Colors

Published

2 months ago

March 11, 2024

Thomas Deschaine

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.

USMNT

2024: A Pivotal Year for the USMNT

Published

3 months ago

February 6, 2024

Thomas Deschaine

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

March	June Window	Copa America	September	October	November
CNL Finals March 18-26	Friendlies June 3-11	June 20-July 14	Friendlies Sept. 2-10	Friendlies Oct. 7-15	CNL 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 1^st All-Time

11 Draws tied for 1^st All-Time with 1994

13 Loses 1^st All-Time

44 Goals Conceded 1^st 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.

USMNT

USMNT’S Next Great Location

Published

4 months ago

December 28, 2023

Thomas Deschaine

Where the USMNT Should Play Next and Why?

26 JUN 1994: COBI JONES#13 OF USA FIGHTS OFF THE CHALLENGE FROM FLORIN RADUCIOIU OF ROMANIA DURING THEIR 1994 WORLD CUP GROUP A MATCH AT THE ROSE BOWL STADIUM IN PASADENA, CALIFORNIA. ROMANIA WON THE MATCH 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Shaun Botterill/ALLSPORT

The largest USMNT home attendance of 93,869 took place at the 1994 World Cup in a 1-0 loss to Romania at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

The U.S. men’s national team announced last month that their only January Camp 2024 Friendly match would be played in the nearly 8,300-seat Toyota Field, home of the USL Championship team San Antonio FC. This marks only the third time USMNT has played a match in a USL venue, the last match was in March 2018, at WakeMed Soccer Park, in Cary, North Carolina. It also marked the 16th time that the USMNT will be playing a match at a venue with a capacity of less than 10,000 (USMNT have played 13 matches at 10,000 seat capacity).

How and where USMNT decides to play matches has recently been scrutinized by fans who live in areas of the United States where matches are rarely — or never — played. Back in March 2023, the USMNT played their final Concacaf Nations League match in Orlando, making its sixth appearance in Orlando since Exploria Stadium opened in 2017. The USMNT has also played seven matches in the state of Ohio since the beginning of the 2018 cycle, four of which have been played in Cincinnati, which is tied for the second most matches played in a city since 2018. USMNT fans nationwide who haven’t been able to attend a local or regional match recently continue to ask why the same handful of venues continue to be selected, even for Friendly matches.

Since the beginning of the 2018 cycle, the USMNT has played 62 home matches at 28 venues, but 10 of those venues have hosted three or more times. The USSF doesn’t have control over which venues the USMNT will play their Gold Cup and Nation League Finals matches, but it does with friendlies, World Cup Qualifiers, and all home Nations League matches.

During the Gregg Berhalter era (yes, I am counting the six-ish months when Anthony Hudson and B.J. Callaghan coached) the USMNT played the second- and third-longest consecutive home match stretches; 15 consecutive home matches in 2019 and 14 consecutive home matches in 2023. Both were years when the Gold Cup was played. The longest stretch was in 1994 when the USMNT hosted the World Cup and played 17 consecutive home matches. As we look forward to 2024 it is possible that the USMNT could reach 16 consecutive home matches played if they can play the maximum amount of Copa America matches and don’t schedule any road or neutral location matches during the September and October windows.

When posting on X (formerly Twitter) about the match at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee, the USMNT account said, “Another stadium to cross off the list,” which appears to be a jab at the USMNT fans about venue selection. The recently scheduled January Camp match scheduled in San Antonio isn’t the first time the USMNT has played in this city. They beat Costa Rica 1-0 in 1988 at Alamo Stadium and in 2015 beat Mexico 2-0 at the Alamodome.

Breaking Down Recent USMNT Home Matches

Below are the US Cities in which the USMNT has played since the beginning of the 2018 cycle up through the group stage matches of Copa America 2024.

Kansas City, Kansas*	5
Orlando, Florida	5
Arlington, Texas	4
Austin, Texas	4
Cincinnati, Ohio	4
Nashville, Tennessee	4
Carson, California	3
Paradise, Nevada	3
St. Louis, Missouri	3
St. Paul, Minnesota	3

Below are the US States in which the USMNT has played since the beginning of the 2018 cycle through the Copa America 2024 group matches.

Texas	10
Florida	7
Ohio	7
California	6
Kansas*	5
Missouri	4
Tennessee	4

*All three 2021 Gold Cup Group Stage matches were played at the same location.

In the past, locations and venue selection for World Cup qualifiers haven’t been ideal to ensure a true home-field advantage for the USMNT (see the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica played at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey). The US Soccer Federation has started to rely on the same 7 or 8 venues for critical matches. But, with the USMNT not needing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, USSF has a great opportunity to play in locations they have never played before, or at least in recent memory.

As it currently stands, the USMNT hasn’t played a match in 22 of the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia) and there are seven states in which the USMNT hasn’t played a match in nearly 10 years. Indiana, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Kentucky are the four most populated states to never host a USMNT match, and very much overdue to get matches scheduled at those locations.

One of the seven locations that haven’t seen the USMNT play in over 10 years is Michigan, which has seen two of the largest crowds to watch International Club soccer, the largest attendance of 109,318 in 2014 when Manchester United defeated Real Madrid 3-1 and the 2^nd largest attendance of 105,826 in 2016 saw Real Madrid defeat Chelsea 3-2 both were played at the University of Michigan Stadium aka “The Big House”.

Which State or Venue Should the USMNT Play at Next?

Here’s a look at 10 locations/venues where I would like to see the USMNT play over the next couple of cycles. There are some challenges in getting matches scheduled in certain states and venues due to the playing surface not being grass or the venue not being the required size, which is the case in many of the NCAA football fields.

The below graphic shows the regions where the USMNT has played or already scheduled 457 home matches, up through the Copa America 2024 group stage.

Alabama

Protective Stadium – Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham Legion FC – USL Championship & UAB Blazers – NCAA Football
Capacity – 47,100

Under the management of Bruce Arena, the USMNT played three matches in Alabama during the 2002 and 2006 cycles, but haven’t returned in almost 18 years.

Last three Matches played in Alabama

March 30, 2005 – 2-0 win vs Guatemala – Birmingham, Alabama – Legion Field – World Cup Qualifier

March 10, 2002 – 1-0 win vs Ecuador – Birmingham, Alabama – Legion Field – Friendly

March 12, 2000 – 1-1 draw vs Tunisia – Birmingham, Alabama – Legion Field – Friendly

Arkansas

War Memorial Stadium – Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock Rangers – USL2 & Secondary Home of Arkansas Razorbacks – NCAA Football
Capacity – 54,120

WholeHogSports - In UA's view, War Memorial in need of $10M update

Neither the US Men’s nor Women’s National teams have played a soccer match in the state of Arkansas. Another option could be to play at the recently announced expansion USL Championship team to be located in Northwest Arkansas.

Last three Matches played in Arkansas

No matches played

Hawaii

New Aloha Stadium (2033 – 2038) – Honolulu, Hawaii
University of Hawaii – NCAA Football
Capacity – Expected 25,000 – 30,000

With a new Aloha Stadium expected to be built and hopefully finished in the next 10 years, playing a match in Hawaii seems more likely an option for the USMNT in the future, the perfect opportunity for a January camp location.

Back in 2015, the USWNT had a scheduled victory tour match at the current Aloha Stadium but was canceled on the day of the match because the artificial turf surface at the stadium was deemed unplayable.

Last three Matches played in Hawaii

No matches played

Idaho

Albertsons Stadium – Boise, Idaho
Boise State University – NCAA Football
Capacity – 36,387

Neither the USMNT nor the USWNT has ever played a match in Idaho, or any of the other surrounding states of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. However, in 2015 a friendly match was scheduled at the home of Boise State University at Albertsons Stadium, which is known for its blue surface, aka “Smurf Turf.” The Basque Soccer Friendly featured Athletic Bilbao of La Liga against Club Tijuana of Liga MX in front of a crowd of 21,948 with Athletic Bilbao winning 2–0.

Last three Matches played in Idaho

No matches played

Indiana

Future – Indy Eleven Stadium – Indianapolis, Indiana
Indy Eleven – USL Championship
Capacity – 20,000

C:\Users\desch\OneDrive\Desktop\Eleven-Park.png

The senior USMNT has never played in the state of Indiana. The B Team, however, has played Olympic qualifying matches there for the 1988 and 1992 Olympics, as well as the 1987 Pan American Games, with games not counting as full international caps

Last three Matches played in Indiana

May 10, 1992 – 3-1 win vs Canada – Bloomington, Indiana – Bill Armstrong Stadium – Olympic Qualifying

August 15, 1987 – 0-2 loss vs Argentina – Indianapolis, IN – Kuntz Memorial Soccer Stadium- Pan American Games

May 25, 1987 – 4-1 win vs El Salvador – Indianapolis, IN – Kuntz Memorial Soccer Stadium – Olympic Qualifying

Kentucky

Lynn Family Stadium – Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville City FC – USL Championship
Capacity – 11,700 (Expandable to 15,304)

It was nearly a full capacity crowd at Lynn Family Stadium Saturday on a hot evening as LouCity took on visiting Memphis. The boys in purple won, 3-0. June 12, 2021

Louisville City FC has been one of the more successful and popular USL teams in recent seasons and has an amazing fan base. This spurred the building of their soccer stadium in 2018. It is a logical location for a USMNT match.

Last three Matches played in Kentucky

No matches played

New York City

Future – New York City FC – Bronx, New York
New York City FC – MLS Team
Capacity – 25,000

The US Men’s National Team hasn’t played in the New York City area in nearly 40 years, even though they have played matches at the home stadium of the New York Red Bulls which is in New Jersey.

Last three Matches played in New York City Area

November 30, 1984 – 0-0 draw vs Ecuador – Hempstead, New York – Hofstra Stadium– Friendly

September 15, 1968 – 3-3 draw vs Israel – Bronx, New York – Yankee Stadium – Friendly

May 27, 1964 – 0-10 loss vs England – Randall’s Island, New York – Downing Stadium – Friendly

New York (Upstate)

Future – Buffalo Bills stadium (2026) – Orchard Park, New York
Buffalo Bills – NFL Team
Capacity – 62,000

Buffalo Bills unveil first design images of their new $1.4 billion stadium

The US Men’s National Team has never played in Upstate New York and with the new stadium being built for the Buffalo Bills — expected to be finished sometime in 2026 — the area would have a good venue for the USMNT to play.

Last three Matches played in Update New York

No matches played

New Mexico

Proposed – New Mexico United Stadium – Albuquerque, New Mexico
New Mexico United – USL Championship
Capacity – 12,000

Another stadium option for the USMNT in New Mexico would be University Stadium also in Albuquerque, which had a seating capacity of over 30,000, however the overall attendance in the only three matches played there wasn’t impressive.

Last three Matches played in New Mexico

March 19, 2005 – 1-0 win vs Honduras – Albuquerque, New Mexico – University Stadium – Friendly

April 30, 1994 – 0-2 loss vs Chile – Albuquerque, New Mexico – University Stadium – Friendly

June 7, 1988 – 0-1 loss vs Ecuador – Albuquerque, New Mexico – University Stadium – Friendly (Clasico International Cup)

Oregon

Providence Park – Portland Oregon
Portland Timbers – MLS
Capacity – 25,218

It’s been 10 years since the USMNT has played in Oregon and with the Pacific Northwest being a soccer-crazed region, is time for the USMNT to return, while the stadium is currently using field turf they would have to make the necessary accommodations to support a grass service.

Last three Matches played in Oregon

July 9, 2013 – 6-1 win vs Belize – Portland, Oregon – Jeld-Wen Field – Gold Cup-Group Stage

May 24, 1998 – 2-0 win vs Kuwait – Portland, Oregon – Civic Stadium – Friendly

September 7, 1997 – 1-0 win vs Costa Rica Portland, Oregon – Civic Stadium – World Cup Qualifier

Other venues and locations considered were Paladin Stadium at Furman University in South Carolina, Memphis 901 FC recently announced a new 10,000-seat stadium to be built in Memphis, Tennessee in the next several years, and Riccardo Silva Stadium home of the USL Championship team Miami FC. Louisiana is another state which has two venues, the Tad Gormley Stadium and the Superdome both of which the US Women’s National Team has played at in the past and could be suitable options for the USMNT in the future.

What are the next and necessary steps for the US Soccer Federation?

With so many high-profile soccer tournaments to be played in the United States over the next six years, this is a great opportunity for the USSF to expand its reach and bring the USMNT to places it’s never been. As it relates to attendance and ticket pricing, the USSF needs to figure out the formula that would allow for maximum capacity at all home matches while allowing for the federation to bring in the necessary revenue desired. Here’s hoping that the United States Soccer Federation sees it the same way and acts accordingly.