Welcome to the first edition of the MLS 2022 American U21 impact rankings. Every two weeks, on Monday, we’ll update the top 25 Americans born in 2001 or later who are having the biggest impact on their club. The rankings are based on a combination of minutes, goal contributions and key positional metrics.
After two weeks, there are a couple of storylines to track, though I’d caveat this by saying it’s early and we should not conclude too much from what we have seen thus far.
A few things I am tracking: the kids in Philly aren’t playing as much as they should, the 05s in Seattle appear to have a role early in the season, and the Red Bulls have four youngsters that are currently in the rotation.
#1 | GK, Gaga Slonina, Chicago Fire (2004)
180 minutes GA/90: 0.00 PSxG +/-: +0.10
Two games, two clean sheets. Gaga didn’t have a ton to do this weekend, but he made some key saves in week 1. His distribution has also been good. The problem for Chicago is that they also haven’t scored in 2 games.
Gaga Slonina was huge yesterday keeping the clean sheet for Chicago. This was his big save at the end of the 0-0 draw. He has 5 clean sheets in his career already – still 17 pic.twitter.com/QSR6ECMGmG
John has played the full 90 in both matches thus far and NYRB has 6 points to show for it. John has been very good in both games, providing a good amount of danger from the LWB position and he has been his usual, solid self on defense.
Starting the year coming off the bench, but I don’t expect that to last long. He had an assist in the first game and created a big chance in the second. Looked more in form and getting back to his dangerous self in the second game.
A big year for Medina’s Caden Clark starts on a high note, as he picks up an assist in #RBNY’s 3-1 win over Gregus, Yueill, Calvo and #Quakes74pic.twitter.com/V4RO6v8riq
Obed has started both CCL matches, matchday 1 in MLS and subbed in matchday 2. He’s looked more than comfortable in Seattle’s midfield. Here is a little flash of what he can do as a ball carrier.
Griffin has started the first two games for DC at the RAM/RW position. He has yet to log a goal or an assist, but he’s had some big chances. I am very worried about how he is going to hold up over the course of the season. He’s very small.
Tyler is benefitting from a depleted attack in Atlanta. He’s had two starts and has looked more than competent in both matches. He was very close to his first goal of the season in matchday 2.
It doesn’t get much better than a goal in your senior debut at a club where you have come up through the academy. Caleb looks like he’ll be a consistent contributor off the bench.
#8 | WING, CADE COWELL, SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (2003)
Cade started the first match and came on at half time for the second. No excuse for him to not start every game for a very mediocre San Jose side. Cade looked in dangerous attacking players 1v1 and created some danger in a big comeback 3-3 result against Columbus.
Tayvon has started both CCL and MLS matches this season. While he hasn’t been too involved in the attack, he’s been okay defensively. He unfortunately left the last match in the 22nd minute due to a muscle injury. It’s uncertain how serious it is. Stay tuned.
George started the first match at RCB and the second at CDM as the injuries are mounting for Atlanta. I think he is in a position battle with Franco at the RCB next to Miles. George has a lot of skill, but still makes more mistakes than you want at CB. Please no more time at the 6.
Moses has started both matches for DC and has been inconsistent. I like what I have seen defensively. He’s been very active and getting stuck in. Offensively he has been too sloppy. Too many turnovers when passing the ball. He also had a red card and will miss the next match.
With Gibbs out, Noah Allen has started both matches at LWB. He’s looked most competent, but did fall asleep a few times against Austin where he was pulled at half.
One of the bigger surprises on this list so far. He is transitioning from being a winger to a right-back. He’s the primary backup to above mentioned Tayvon Gray. He’s looked more competent in the attack than Gray, but his defense is work in progress. He should get more of an opportunity with Gray sidelined with an injury.
#15 | RB, nathan harriel, philadelphia union (2001)
Another surprise on this list. Harriel started matchday 2 after Mbaizo had a poor performance in matchday 1. I thought Harriel was very good defensively, but didn’t add much on the offensive end.
Reed had an up and down performance in his start against Real Salt Lake this week. He got into a couple of good positions. He scuffed one shot and got better contact on the second (video above in Vargas’ section), but it was saved. He looked a little rusty, but showed some signs of why people are so high on him.
Sebastian, son of USMNT manager, Gregg Berhalter, has made two sub appearances for Vancouver. He’s a defensive minded, steady presence in the middle of the pitch.
Brian has had a couple of nice goal scoring opportunities and has provided a spark off the bench. If Chicago continues to struggle to score, I would expect Brian to get more of an opportunity as a starter.
I got my first look at the #1 overall Super Draft pick this week. I was impressed! He’s a smart and technical player that was as positive offensively as anyone for Charlotte. I’d bet his first MLS start is not too far off.
The biggest thing with Aidan is that he is back and he looks healthy. He hasn’t lost his quickness and fearlessness after a major injury that wiped out his 2021 campaign.
Paxten also did not get the call in matchday 2. He flashed danger in matchday 1 and I wouldn’t expect him to be this low on this list for very long. Apparently he had a really nice half-volley attempt that was blocked by his own teammate.
#25 | WING, Serge Ngoma, New York Red Bulls (2005)
Our third 2005 on this list! Serge hasn’t done a whole lot in his two appearances, but the fact he is getting minutes ahead of others, like Cameron Harper, shows you what Struber thinks of him.
Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)
With the next wave of highly rated teenagers likely to be brought into the #USMNT during the 2030 World Cup cycle, I decided to look back at some of the young players who were once hyped as the next stars of the U.S. Men’s National Team but never established themselves as regular internationals.
Freddy Adu would seem to be at the top of this list. While he never became a regular for the #USMNT or the world-class face of U.S. Soccer many expected, he still earned 17 caps, scoring 2 goals and adding 3 assists. In many ways, he accomplished more at the international level than most of the players who are listed below combined.
Which former USMNT prospects did I miss, players who are no longer playing or are past their prime, who deserve to be on this list?
Cody Cropper – GK – 0 caps
U.S. youth international and longtime goalkeeper prospect who reached the Southampton and MLS systems but never earned a senior cap.
Junior Flores – AM – 0 caps
Creative midfielder who joined Borussia Dortmund’s system as a teenager and was viewed as a major U.S. prospect, but never reached the senior USMNT.
Eddie Gaven – MF/W – 8 caps
Teenage MLS phenom who became a league standout, but despite eight USMNT appearances, his international career never developed further.
Luis Gil – AM – 2 caps
One of the most hyped American midfield prospects of his generation; debuted for RSL at 16 but never translated that promise into a sustained USMNT career.
Emerson Hyndman – MF – 2 caps
Highly rated central midfielder who broke through at Fulham and earned two USMNT appearances, but never established himself internationally.
Perry Kitchen – DM/CB – 5 caps
U.S. youth captain and defensive midfielder who became a regular MLS starter, but his senior international career stalled after five caps.
Will Packwood – CB/DM – 0 caps
Birmingham City prospect who became the youngest American to play in the English Championship, but injuries severely disrupted his development.
Marc Pelosi – LB/CB – 0 caps
Highly regarded defender who moved to Liverpool as a teenager, but injuries and limited senior opportunities derailed his path to the USMNT.
Gedion Zelalem – MF – 0 caps
Arsenal wonderkid and one of the most highly regarded U.S. prospects of his generation. Injuries and inconsistent senior opportunities slowed his development, and he never made a senior USMNT appearance.
The number of young USMNT players in this September/October window is something we haven’t seen in quite some time. Some will catch the eye of newly extended USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino, while others may not, but all of them have an opportunity during this cycle to make their case for World Cup qualifying and, ultimately, a spot on the 2026 World Cup roster.
It all starts now, and it should be fun to follow their development over the next four years.
Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)
Header_NextGen
With the USMNT manager in place and the new cycle underway it’s time for recently extended Mauricio Pochettino to get some new young players on his radar and what better time to do this than the September/October double FIFA window.
There are several U-23 players like Josh Wynder, Jalen Neal, Rokas Pukstas, Diego Kochen, Jonathan Gomez, Caleb Wiley, Cole Campbell, Chris Brady, Gaga, Slonina, Niko Tsakiris, Damion Downs, and Benjamin Cremaschi who have no caps order less than a handful with the USMNT.
Will USMNT snubs or overlooked players opportunities be during the 2030 cycle look like? Players like Diego Luna, Tanner Tessmann, Aidan Morris and Camron Carter-Vickers to name a few, we have to wonder how or if they will be part of this cycle of players. I would suggest some will likely get the opportunity in the early part of the cycle but will need to be performing n with their club to remain getting called back into camps.
Integrating a few of these youth USMNT players during each window for the first half of the cycle will allow Pochettino to evaluate them up close and see if there might be a role for them during this next cycle.
It’s extremely important that the USMNT have a few on their current U-20 teenagers’ breakthrough and become a reliable part of the USMNT in the second half of the cycle.
The below players will have an opportunity to play in next years U-20 World Cup being hosted by Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan as well as hopefully if their clubs release them being part of the 2028 Olympics USA Football squad to hopefully medal for the first time since 1904 when the US had two teams win Silver and Bronze. I think it’s also important to look at these players alongside some of the core USMNT in the upcoming window to see how they can integrate with one another.
Mathis Albert-17-Winger
Noahkai Banks-19-Centerback
Cole Campbell-20-Midfielder/Winger
Zavier Gozo-19-Winger
Julian Hall-18-Winger
Malik Jakupovic-17-Striker
Adri Mehmeti-17-Central Midfielder
Peyton Miller-18-Left Midfielder/Winger
Neil Pierre-18-Centerback
Cavan Sullivan-16-Attacking Midfielder
Whether we see all of these players, or just a handful, through the first half of the cycle, hopefully leading into another Copa América appearance, it’s clear that the time has come for Pochettino to begin integrating the next generation of USMNT players into the senior pool. How quickly that transition happens will be one of the most interesting storylines to follow.
CHICAGO — Four years on from captaining the United States to their last CONCACAF Under-20 title, Mauricio Cuevas is quietly stepping back into the spotlight. Still only 23 years old, the talented right back just moved abroad, leaving his boyhood Los Angeles Galaxy for Liga MX side Santos Laguna in a summer move that slipped under the radar.
“To be able to get sold to a big club like Santos is a huge step forward for me,” Cuevas said in an exclusive interview this Saturday. “From the first day, I knew the challenge coming into it because the club hasn’t been meeting expectations in the past few years. Coming in and trying to be a difference-maker is something that I wanted. It’s a new challenge for me, and overall I’m just super excited.”
New Challenge in Mexico
As a teenager, Cuevas showcased himself as one of the country’s most exciting young fullbacks. Known for his technical prowess and set piece ability, the L.A. area native spent time at Belgium’s Club Brugge before returning to the Galaxy in 2023. There, he won an MLS Cup in 2024, appearing 78 times in total before his departure this summer.
“It’s always tough leaving home,” Cuevas said. “Obviously, it’s my boyhood club. My family still lives there, and I was great with all the guys at the club as well. I knew everybody, from the staff and the front office to the coaches. It’s never easy when you’re leaving home.”
“Honestly, the people in Torreón and Santos have all welcomed me with open arms since the first day. They’re all amazing people. It’s an amazing club and an amazing city.”
The move to Liga MX made sense from a number of angles; Santos manager Renato Paiva wanted a new right back, Cuevas’s Galaxy contract was winding down, and his Mexican passport made a move south of the border quite easy. Since joining, Santos have faced an extremely difficult run of games against CF Monterrey, Atlas, Club América, and New York City FC — all of which Cuevas started.
“It’s been great, to be honest,” Cuevas said of his adjustment to life in Torreón. “There hasn’t been much of an adjustment tactics-wise or playing-wise because Renato, our head coach, has similar concepts to what we had at the Galaxy. The players are really good as well. There’s so much quality on the team.”
“The only thing I’ve probably had to get adjusted to is the weather. It’s a little too hot out there, the sun is beaming a lot. But I love it, man. It’s a super-calm city. It’s beautiful, with great food and great people.”
Back in the U.S.
The game against NYCFC came in Leagues Cup, a competition with a razor-thin margin for error. To advance past the first round, teams ideally need to earn at least seven points from their three matches; after losing to New York City, qualification for the knockout rounds is now nearly impossible for Santos. They’ll face Gregg Berhalter, Robert Lewandowski, and the Chicago Fire on Sunday (8 p.m. Eastern Time on Apple TV) in a game where anything but a win in 90 minutes would certainly eliminate them.
“I think we go into every game with the belief that every game is a must-win for us, so that doesn’t really change much. We know now that there’s more on top of that, we have even more reason to win. We’re just focused on ourselves tomorrow. We had a long travel day yesterday, so it’s all about recovery now and setting a game plan that puts us in the best position to win.”
Having started against the Fire at Soldier Field in 2024 and facing former youth national team teammates Chris Brady and Sergio Oregel, Cuevas will hope to give something extra in this game and help keep Santos alive in the tournament.
“Any tournament that this club steps into, we always have that goal in mind of wanting to bring that trophy back to Mexico, back to Torreón with us. We’re a competitive club. We’re one of the best clubs, history-wise, in Mexico, so we know what this badge carries.”
USYNT Hero
Coincidentally enough, the U.S. U-20s advanced to a fifth consecutive CONCACAF final on Friday, setting up a date with hosts Mexico at Estadio Azteca on Sunday. The semifinal win also qualified the U.S. for next year’s Pan American Games in Lima, ensuring qualification for back-to-back editions.
In addition to being a central figure in the last U.S. U-20 CONCACAF victory in 2022, Cuevas was part of the last Pan Am Games team in 2023; the U.S. finished fourth in an unusual competition that included several intriguing names like Sergio Oregel, Brooklyn Raines, Danny Leyva, and a then-relatively unknown Alex Freeman. For Cuevas, that tournament was a special memory, and one he remembers fondly.
“I remember the whole trip, to be honest. I made a lot of great friends and met a lot of great people on and off the field, from the staff to the players – people I’m still in contact with. There are some that are in Liga MX as well, Nico (Carrera), Antonio (Carrera), Danny (Leyva).”
“Every player from that age group and that camp has been doing great. It’s lovely to see, to be honest, seeing everybody shine.”
On the immediate horizon for the U.S. is Sunday’s U-20 final (6:00 p.m. Eastern Time on FS2). The Americans will be hoping that this year’s final is more reminiscent of Cuevas’ age group (a 6-0 final win over the Dominican Republic) than the 2024 edition (a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Mexico). As is often the case, the U.S. and Mexico will be without many of their top youth players for the tournament due to its concurrence with club games, but that has opened the door for others.
“We have two players from (Santos) that are representing Mexico, so congrats to them,” Cuevas said. “Huge shout out to (LA Galaxy’s) Ruben Ramos as well and Dylan Vanney, who are with the U.S.; they’ve been killing it. I’m just happy for all those guys. Proud of those guys.”
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