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

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

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

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

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

Early History (Pre-1990s)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Rise of Dual Nationals

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Future of Dual Nationals

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusion

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

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

The 2024 summer transfer window closed on September 1^st 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 13^th.  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 1^st 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.

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.

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.