USMNT
Positional Play Scholar – The most important Role for the USMNT Future: Regista Part II the “Modern 6”
A year ago, I wrote a blog post saying the Regista would be the most important role for the USMNT future. I said this for several reasons. First, it’s a key role in a possession heavy system and in positional play. Second, the US has not done a good job historically in developing this role as it is built today. Third, the US is very thin in terms of elite prospects for this role. All of these things are still true. The role isn’t near as thin as it was but is still one of the thinnest we’ve seen.
Modern 6
First let’s define what I mean by the Regista. These terms are more fluid than most would like (including myself). They are used by analysts to describe a specific role of a player in a particular point in time. Then that role evolves and lots of different analysts, media, and fans all try to use it. The result is a lot of people with different ideas about what it means.
These days I often refer to it as the “Modern 6.” It can also be called the deep lying maker or defensive midfielder. I know there are people screaming into their computers right now that all of these are different. I know. So we’ll start by defining what I call the Modern 6 instead of only using any of these terms.
The Modern 6 is a midfielder that plays at the base the midfield and/or at the peak of the defense. In a 4 back system, when the fullbacks get high and wide, it will sometimes drop into the back line to help form a back 3. As a general rule, the team with the ball will want to keep +1 in their own half. Meaning they will want to keep one more player than the opposing team. So if the opposing team presses with 2 against 2 cb’s the 6 will drop back either centrally or on the edges to keep a numbers advantage.
You can usually identify this role by a few obvious traits
Positional Discipline
First, he stays pretty tightly tethered to the back. The last thing a defense wants are flat lines where a creative player can create through balls to runners in behind or drive at cbs with space. The attacker has advantage with momentum and timing. The defenders often have to rely on an offside trap to stop penetrating balls or try to make tackles that (if missed) lead to run ins on goal. They would prefer to keep someone always in front of them to not allow that pass or direct line to the cb. They also want to keep a +1 in the back and the 6 is there to help do that. This is why normally the 6 doesn’t press very much. Their job is to contain an attack, prevent the penetrating dribble or pass and shield the back. What you’ll normally see them do is pick their spots when they are confident they can win the ball and otherwise let the 8’s and wings press heavily.
The role of the 6 used to be that of a destroyer. Soccer tactics went through a period of teams consistency putting a creative 10 in the middle of the field to camp out in zones 14 of the opponents half.
They would create goals by being creative on the ball in the most dangerous spots. Teams adapted to this by putting tackle/defensive experts in that same spot to mark out these 10’s. That shifted tactics to move to having 2 10’s in the half spaces between zones 15/14 and 13/14. This negates the ability of a destroyer to mark out a 10 or camp out and eliminate creative attacks in one zone. As a team passes around, the defense has to move to cover passing lanes. This opens up opportunities even in a low block.
That shift away from needing a central, destroying 6 has increased more due to teams defending less in low blocks and focusing more on pressing. It moves the lines of confrontation up the field. This has mostly seen a sharp reduction of pure destroyer style midfielders from good teams. They don’t need an aggressive tackle expert to camp out in zone 14. You still want tacklers but now due to defending the whole field and due to most teams using dual 10’s in the halfspace- teams want rangy 8’s. That’s why you don’t see Kante playing a lot as a one 6 anymore and its one reason the US sought out Musah. With Mckennie and musah as the rangy 8’s, the 6 can act as “clean up.” Some teams can still use the 10 in zone 14 and any team will find itself defending in the low block at times, so you do want a little destroyer in your 6 but that trait is a lot less important than it used to be and not as prioritized.
That’s not to say athleticism isn’t needed in the new modern 6 role. It absolutely is and is why Bradley seems to be phased out of the US program. The rangier the modern 6, the larger space he can clean up and cover and still be that central zones that he needs to be at the right times.
But most importantly, a very rangy 6 is hard to get passed. Where Bradley, Trapp and some extent Yueill most hurt the team defensively is opposing teams could dribble around them too easily. The point of keeping a 6 tethered to the back line is to limit penetration. A good 6 will do this by being VERY good at timing his tackles and will most often not even attempt a tackle. They will contain the attacker until they get help from an 8. The athleticism preferred here becomes one around agility rather than strength, size, and aggression.
High Technical Quality
Second, the other place where athleticism is desired in the modern 6 is for ball control. A team wants that 6 to be a lock box in possession that is press resistant. Most teams counter press these days meaning, as soon as they lose the ball, they are coming at you strong. A really good modern 6 can provide a passing option as an outlet. They can avoid the aggressive counter press. If they are really good, then start the counter with a timely pass or dribble (preferably pass bc dribbling pulls them out of position).
Busquets technical quality is an example
Regista
Third, this modern 6 will usually have the high passing percentages of a cb. They move constantly in the zones in front of the cb’s to provide passing options to both the cb’s under pressure and is usually a safe option for the rest of team to maintain possession. The CB’s (or 6) can make a wide pass or line splitting pass and always have the 6 there for safety and reset if the attack option isn’t on. This is where they get the Regista part of the game. They dictate the rhythm of the passing. They speed it up or slow it down. That brings us to a fourth trait.
QB Role
Fourth, they are often the “qb” of the offense. You’ll normally see the modern 6 directing traffic. This means they need a high game IQ and it’s why you don’t usually see younger guys playing that role. You want experienced players that can read the game and direct traffic. As we saw against Bradley and in the Olympics, the 6 can be marked out. If the opponents decide not to press the CB’s, they’ll often try to mark out the 6, as he’s a key cog in the possession build up and is usually a distributor that penetrates lines. The 6 then needs to be good at reading the game and manipulating the defense with his movement to create passing lanes for the cbs.
Busquets high game IQ and passing ability
Distribution
Lastly, if the CB’s can do their job and create penetration with the ball at their feet or with their passing, the modern 6 does what you really want them to do- Pass the ball. One of the most important roles of the modern 6 is a distributor. Short passing range is necessary for the Regista duties but you also want this role to be your deep lying playmaker. You want them to make line breaking passes and switches to space. When Bradley or Yueill were/are in as the modern 6, you saw these things a lot. Bradley in particular was good at hitting the long diagonal.
I’ve heard people say that’s over rated but I disagree. The US and most top teams use positional play. Positional Play is a method and/or set of principles of possession play that came out of the Dutch style that Pep has perfected. Most teams that intend or expect to have a great deal of possession embrace positional Play principles. They may go about those principles differently but they embrace the concepts. The term positional play comes from chess and is about getting maximal advantages of players/ pieces positions on the board/field. At the core of great possession play is maximizing the use of space on the field. Positional Play soccer does that with their positions, movement and coordination.
Because of the importance positioning, movement and the coordination or timing of those, a deep lying maker is key and the diagonal is key. The deep lying playmaker sits at the base of the midfield. As a team overloads one side and pulls the defenders to their side to stop numbers or quality mismatches, the team wants to use a positional advantage and space on the back side. Bradley hit that ball like a QB throwing a deep pass. For all his and Trapps’s faults, they were excellent at that.
The other part of being a deep-lying playmaker is the line breaking pass. Adams is quite good at this.
Adams as a deep lying playmaker
It again uses the positions of the other players and movements to create gaps in space between the lines. Then uses the modern 6 at the base of the midfield to read that opening. The modern 6 has to coordinate the movement and pace of the ball (regista) and time the ball movement to hit that gaps in between the defenders to hit attackers. This is an underrated skills because its usually the pass before the assist. Most fans will see the assist and miss that pass. It’s crucial to breaking down packed defenses. It’s not just the technical ability to hit the pass but it’s the high game iq to read the game, control the pace and timing of the passes in the back to hit the opening with it occurs. It’s truly the QB position of soccer. It’s why it’s my favorite role to watch tactically and why I see it as so crucial to the US future.
That is what a team wants with the modern 6. The truth is teams never have everything they want and have to adapt to what they have. That could mean a variety of things. If Adams lacks passing range, then they could lean more on McKennie. If they are using a guy like Yueill, then they’ll have to cover for his lack of athleticism with 3 cbs and one stepping quickly or an 8 playing a little deeper. With Adams or Acosta who like to drive forward with the ball more, they’ll adapt with the 8’s slotting back more and covering that space until he returns. There are lots of tactical nuances once you start fitting in personnel with their own strengths and weaknesses. RB Leipzig seems to do an interesting thing by inverting a wingback at times and then let him play with some of those roles. The variations are endless with different personnel and against different opponents.
When I talk about a “Modern 6” that’s what I am talking about. Can a team play positional play or be good at possession without one? They have to have those traits on the field and they will work to have them some where- whether its elsewhere in the mid or cbs. As a matter of developing a team though- I personally think any team embracing positional play will attempt to find and use this role.
Modern 6 Summary
To summarize this role needs
- Strong positional discipline
- High technical quality
- Press resistant
- High Game IQ
- Deep play making ability (technical ability, vision, outside shooting, and tactical acumen)
- Range; Recovery
- 1:1 defensive ability
- Agility
- Impeccable timing on their risk taking
- Aggressive, confident tackling
US Program
When looking at the USMNT- what I see is a team extremely thin at this role. As a soccer nation who only recently started prioritizing technical development over athleticism, we have too few of these. Our primary source of talent is the MLS pipeline. We are just now seeing them start to play to level that is developing these.
In my opinion, the US program is doing all it can to find these players and try to get them to a higher level. It’s the one role, where we only have 1 player even in the pipeline at a top club. Tyler Adams. Wing, striker, CB, GK, 8’s we have our top tier talent and we have young guys pushing behind them. Aside from maybe passing, ball dominant cb’s, there is no spot that’s weaker in terms of talent at top leagues.
It’s also not a role where I think international scouts think to look at the MLS for. Currently our internal prospects that are getting scouted are pressing cms and athletic, dynamic full backs. This modern 6 is a highly technical and high game IQ position. I don’t think the US has the rep or “branding yet” that we can develop those.
So a year later, who do we have in the pipeline? These are the ones I’m seeing (no particular order). Adams, Yueill, Perea, Johnny, and now Acosta. There are guys like Kitchen, Sands, and Parks that don’t seem to either fully fit the profile or have been unable to make enough of a dent in the US program for me to know them well. Only Adams and Yueill have we seen do these at a higher level.
I personally think the US have done three things to try and fill this role. First, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that both Perea and Johnny are dual nationals who have recently committed to the US. I think the US is targeting weak spots in their depth chart. Second, they just called and tried to simultaneously start 3 6’s in the Olympics. The jury is still out if that showcased them enough to put them on any clubs radar. I think the hope was for them to do well, get scouted and get them into better clubs. Lastly, they are scouring our current pool for those who might have the technical abilities if not the experience.
Current Modern 6 Options
This is how I would rate latest 5 on the criteria mentioned. Understand these are highly subjective and only Adams is proven at a high level. These may be a bit unfair to Perea and Cardoso as I haven’t really seen them enough to feel firm in these ratings.
Adams is our 6 right now. I still think he needs to develop more regarding his deep lying playmaker abilities. I also think his range and tackling ability could be used further up field as a wingback that inverts, as he does for his club. But for now- he’s our only prospect playing a 6 (yes a modern 6) at a high level. Until he develops his passing ability more, I expect the US to rely on Mckennie dropping a bit deeper (who has great distribution skills and now a better tactical sense on when to use it) and to maximize the use of passing CBS in Brooks and Richards. Adams brings to the role most of you what at a very high level.
I think this next year we want to continue to watch who could develop into this role and realize, that players may be one role in the MLS and another with the US. The two that I would keep an eye on are Busio and Pomykal. Both are talents that Berhalter may start to bring into the national team soon. Others that I think we should keep an eye on are Alex Mendez & Bryang Kayo.
Despite the failure to qualify for the Olympics, the future of the US soccer program is bright. The national team is fun to watch and as a nation we’re starting to develop more refined tastes and understanding of the beautiful game. There are lots of key markers to watch. The most important is qualifying and doing well in the World Cup. For me, who loves the tactical side of the game and seeing highly skillful soccer, I’m watching to see how we find and produce talent at this key role. I think the US program sees it as a priority and before long we’ll see as many promising modern 6 prospects as we do 8’s and 10’s. I look forward to it.
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Way-too-early USMNT 2030 FIFA World Cup roster projection
World Cup roster projections are a futile business.
That’s particularly true when you do it a whole four years out.
Yet, every four years, we do it anyway. The United States crashed out of their one-in-a-generation home World Cup this week after a 4-1 demolition by Belgium in Seattle, deferring their dreams of a first star for at least another cycle. Now it’s time to take a first-ever stab at who the players on that 2030 team will be.
Of course, this is more of an educated guess than a clear-cut prediction. A lot can happen in four years (see: Alex Freeman and Sebastian Berhalter or Yunus Musah and Josh Sargent). With that being said, here’s my current projected 26-man squad for the next World Cup, which will be held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.
Goalkeepers
1. Chris Brady (Current Club: Chicago Fire; Age in 2030: 26)
The crop of goalkeepers that the U.S. brought to the 2022 and 2026 World Cups is the weakest pool in decades. Fortunately, there are a few high-end prospects who will be old enough by 2030 to hopefully make progress on that front. One of those prospects – Chris Brady – was the third-string at this past World Cup (the youngest goalie the U.S. has brought to a World Cup since Tony Meola and Kasey Keller in 1990) and will be just beginning to enter his prime for the next one.
In terms of skill set, Brady has all the tools to be a world-class #1. His shot-stopping and reaction time are excellent; he possesses great size and reach, and has made progress on his ball-playing ability over the last three seasons in MLS. While his decision-making does leave something to be desired – meaning he isn’t quite ready yet to play regularly at the international level – it is an asset that will hopefully improve with time and experience and is completely normal for such a young goalkeeper. A move to a major European league should happen in the next few years, and he’s probably the current favorite to be the starter in 2030.
2. Diego Kochen (Lyngby Boldklub, on loan from FC Barcelona; 24)
In terms of talent, the other potential huge star is Barcelona’s Diego Kochen, who just joined Danish club Lyngby on loan in search of more minutes. Kochen was originally set to join the 2026 squad as a training player, but the need for a minor surgery meant he only stuck around for the pre-tournament friendlies. That’s been the story of his career so far: high hopes, but often paused by injuries or other setbacks. If that can be resolved, Kochen absolutely has a shot of competing with Brady, and those two seem like the best options to be the future of the U.S. goalkeeping position. If not, other talents like Julian Eyestone, Andrew Rick, or even still-quite-young Gaga Slonina could emerge to break into that picture.
3. Matt Turner (New England Revolution; 36)
With the hope being that two young goalkeepers will take over the position, it would be fair to guess that the third-string in four years will be a veteran. Matt Freese was the starter in 2026, but was clearly a weak link, and has had numerous blunders for the USMNT since his debut 13 months ago; he’ll absolutely stick around in the national team picture for at least a few more years, and still be 31 in 2030, but at this point I don’t know that he increases either the floor or the ceiling. For that reason, Matt Turner is my veteran pick for 2030, assuming he maintains his level in MLS with the Revolution; he will be 36, but would be a calm presence in the locker room with two prior World Cups under his belt, and fits the mold of a #3 keeper at that age.
Potential pool players: Matt Freese, Julian Eyestone, Andrew Rick, Gaga Slonina, Leonard Prescott
Center backs
1. Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; 30)
After playing every minute in four of the Americans’ five games in 2026, Richards is the bright spot in what has otherwise been a pretty poor generation of U.S. central defenders. Seeing as defenders typically peak between the ages of 28 and 31, the next World Cup could be his to be a true team leader in. In fact, as long as he stays healthy and continues to progress and mature in the Premier League, Richards currently seems like the safest bet for U.S. captain in 2030.
2. Noahkai Banks (FC Augsburg; 23)
This is where things get interesting. Tim Ream (who will be 42 at the next World Cup) defied all the odds to somehow still be a starter for the U.S. in 2026. Barring a medical and logical miracle, that means there are a lot of center back minutes up for grabs this cycle, and fortunately, the U.S. 2006-2008 age cohort possesses the most exciting group of blue-chip center back prospects the country has ever seen.
Chief among them is German-American Noahkai Banks, who featured 23 times for Augsburg in the Bundesliga last season and is arguably a top-10 center back prospect globally. The only problem is that he declined a March USMNT senior call-up to keep his dual-national eligibility intact. That doesn’t rule him out of representing the U.S. in the future, and the likes of Nico Schlotterbeck, Malick Thiaw, Finn Jeltsch, and €50 million Chelsea target Karim Coulibaly mean the pathway to Germany minutes is unclear. If Banks eventually decides to represent the U.S., he’ll be among the clear favorites to start from the get-go.
3. Christopher Cupps (Chicago Fire; 22)
This was one of the most challenging choices to make on the entire list. That aforementioned 2006-2008 age bracket has several center backs who could break into the national team picture in the next two years, and join Banks as a rare second young center back on a World Cup roster (though it would be far from a surprise, whether Banks commits to the U.S. or not, if multiple defenders from the 2006-2008 crop make the team).
Sporting Kansas City’s Ian James, the Philadelphia Union’s Neil Pierre, and Werder Bremen II’s Ramiz Hamouda are the three others I strongly considered, and any one of those could certainly explode in the near future. However, I find that Christopher Cupps, currently featuring for Chicago Fire II, has the highest ceiling of the bunch. Still just 18, Cupps has all the physical tools needed for an elite-level center back and has a top-level mindset that has enabled him to steadily develop his other skills. He has also shown those capabilities in a U.S. shirt, starring at the last U-17 World Cup and captaining practically every youth team he’s ever played on at every age group. While he has faced injury setbacks in the last year or so, if Cupps stays healthy and continues to develop to his full potential, he will be on the national team by 2030.
4. Auston Trusty (Celtic; 31)
I’ll be the first to admit that I was not an Auston Trusty advocate for a very, very long time. The last six months have changed my mind. In seeking a prime-age, left-footed center back to consider for 2030, Trusty currently seems like the best option, and is already someone who entered the USMNT history books when he scored the second-fastest goal in U.S. World Cup history last month. If he stays roughly level with the likes of Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson, and Cameron Carter-Vickers, Trusty’s left-footedness will give him a clear edge.
Potential pool players: Mark McKenzie, Ian James, Neil Pierre, Ramiz Hamouda, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Josh Wynder
Full backs
1. Alex Freeman (Villarreal; 25)
Alex Freeman’s ascent from MLS Next Pro to USMNT World Cup star in the last 18 months has been something special. Now, he looks like a clear lock for the next edition as well and is currently on a trajectory to become a top La Liga right back within the next two seasons. Unless injuries crop up or his form completely stalls, Freeman will be a mainstay for the USMNT for years to come.
2. Peyton Miller (New England Revolution; 22)
Addressing the elephant in the room: Antonee Robinson is not on this list. While he has been a locked-in starter for the U.S. for six years, was at one point among the best in his position in the Premier League, and is arguably the country’s greatest-ever left back, the now 28-year-old has battled a truly painful run of injuries over the last few years. Robinson himself admitted it was a minor miracle that he was healthy enough to play in the 2026 World Cup, so given his injury history and the fact that he’ll be nearly 33 when 2030 kicks off, I decided to leave him out.
In terms of prospects, there are a few, and Peyton Miller is the most obvious, even if he’s spent much of his youth national team career playing as a winger. The 18-year-old from Connecticut heavily featured at the 2023 U-17 World Cup and 2025 U-20 World Cup, playing up age groups both times, and is a regular for a good team in MLS with European interest certain. If he develops, and particularly if the U.S. sticks with a wingback-reliant formation, I could see Miller emerging as a Robinson successor.
3. Luca Bombino (San Diego FC; 23)
A more traditional left-sided fullback for the future would be Luca Bombino of San Diego, who has developed well over the last year and a half and is now one of the best young left backs in MLS. The question now is whether he can take another big step in his development to fill the much-needed national team profile of lockdown left-back, and, if he can, eventually make the move to Europe. Christian McFarlane, Reed Baker-Whiting, and the still-talented but injury-riddled Caleb Wiley are other names who could make a push on the left side.
4. Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven; 29)
It feels like just yesterday that Sergiño Dest was the skillful, adventurous young wingback at Ajax; it’s bizarre to even think about the fact that he’ll be 29 at the next World Cup. Dest has not reached the heights many hoped he would as a teenager; even if he has finally found a permanent home at the club level, it’s not at a European giant in a top five league. If (and this is a big if) he stays healthy, Dest should still make the 2030 roster, but he’ll certainly have to adapt his game as he inches toward the latter half of his prime.
5. Tim Weah (Olympique Marseille; 30)
Tim Weah is another one whose status as a clear roster lock will likely fade in the next cycle as younger players begin to emerge. The OM winger hardly played in this past World Cup and was, somewhat alarmingly, an unused substitute in both of the U.S.’s knockout games. Still, by 2030, his versatility and experience may make him a valuable option to keep around in a position group that could be very young for the U.S. in four years.
One more name I’d like to throw in there is Montrell Culbreath of Bayer 04 Leverkusen. If he commits to the United States over Germany, he is a wild-card right wing back option that almost certainly would walk straight into any U.S. roster overnight and if he continues his current ascent, could be an option to start in 2030.
Potential pool players: Montrell Culbreath, Frankie Westfield, Joe Scally, Reed Baker-Whiting, Christian McFarlane, Caleb Wiley
Central midfield
1. Adri Mehmeti (New York Red Bulls; 21)
The fact that only three true central midfielders went to the World Cup with the U.S. in 2026 indicates that it’s a position completely up for grabs in the next cycle. Enter Adri Mehmeti, who is one of the absolute most exciting U.S. prospects at the moment. The Albanian-American broke through into the New York Red Bulls first team at 16 this season and played the full 90 minutes in seven consecutive MLS games heading into the World Cup break. Learning under USMNT legend Michael Bradley, Mehmeti seems poised to be a Tyler Adams successor of sorts for club and country, and if he continues to progress at his current pace, could have his coming-out party at the 2030 World Cup.
2. Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth; 31)
Adams will still be around in four years and has been one of the USMNT’s most consistent players through his entire national team career. However, like Antonee Robinson, persistent injuries are taking a toll, and there’s no certainty he’ll be at as high a level as he once was come 2030. Nonetheless, unless his level drops too much, expect Adams to remain firmly entrenched as a veteran leader – and, by now, one of the U.S.’ greatest-ever midfielders – on the team at age 31.
3. Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps; 29)
One of the most surprising stories of the last cycle was the emergence of Sebastian Berhalter, who, within two years, went from a fringe MLS starter to arguably the league’s best midfielder. An impressive showing in the World Cup, which saw him make four strong substitute appearances and score in his lone start, means his stock is higher than ever, and even at 25, a move to Europe seems like a distinct possibility. If he maintains that level throughout what are expected to be his prime years, Berhalter could be able to maintain his status as a national team squad player for 2030.
4. Jude Terry (Los Angeles FC; 21)
I’m taking a bit of a punt here by including LAFC’s Jude Terry as one of the final players to make the roster. He’s one of eight players on this list who will be 22 or younger in 2030, which is a lot compared to the two that made the 2026 roster (Brady and Freeman), but he’s a composed and tenacious profile that I quite like and stands out among the rather deep pool of talented young midfielders who could break into the pool for 2030… provided that LAFC enables him to find the right pathway. Niko Tsakiris, Brooklyn Raines, Pedro Soma, Matthew Corcoran, Taha Habroune, Benjamín Cremaschi, and even Sergio Oregel are among the names that have the talent to push for a spot, though the currently 17-year-old Terry is my favorite of the bunch.
Notably, I decided not to include any of the prime-age midfielders who failed to make the 2026 roster; Tanner Tessmann, Jack McGlynn, Aidan Morris, and Paxten Aaronson are the first to come to mind; seeing as I’ve retained all of the U.S. midfielders in this roster (barring Cristian Roldan, who will be 35), none of that group raise the floor of the team significantly if at all. I also left off Johnny Cardoso, despite clearly being a leading U.S. talent at the club level – he will be 28 and certainly in with a shout, but unless the next USMNT manager (whether it is Pochettino or someone else) can truly unlock his maximum level, his consistently poor performances at the international level may prevent him from making a World Cup roster. Similarly, Yunus Musah needs a revival at both the club and international levels if he wants to re-enter the picture.
Potential pool players: Johnny Cardoso, Niko Tsakiris, Yunus Musah, Aidan Morris, Brooklyn Raines, Jack McGlynn, Taha Habroune, Benjamín Cremaschi, Tanner Tessmann
Attacking midfield
1. Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union, joining Manchester City; 20)
Something will have gone wrong for Cavan Sullivan if he isn’t a 20-year-old rising star on the USMNT’s World Cup roster four years from now. The Philadelphia Union’s biggest prospect, who has already agreed to join Manchester City in 2028 after he turns 18, has all the potential in the world and is already getting regular MLS minutes at the age of 16. Marketed as America’s greatest hope in many years, and one of the highest-rated teenage talents in U.S. history, 2030 could be a special opportunity for Sullivan to introduce himself to the wider U.S. public and footballing world.
Sullivan is the youngest player in this projected roster, though not the youngest mentioned; the Chicago Fire’s Robert Turdean, who is about three months younger than Sullivan and widely considered the second- or third-biggest prospect in that age bracket, is also one to keep an eye on. While a lot can happen in four years, 2030 may come too soon for him.
2. Malik Tillman (Bayer 04 Leverkusen; 28)
A pleasant surprise from the USMNT’s 2026 World Cup run was the fact that Malik Tillman – operating as a deep-lying playmaker next to Tyler Adams – was arguably the team’s top performer, despite playing the entire tournament outside of his natural position. He’s one of the biggest raw talents in the entire U.S. pool, so again, unless his form falls off of a cliff, he’ll be back in 2030 and should be in his prime. After a rough start to his international career, the FC Bayern product has finally found a rhythm and is now, quite incredibly, the United States’ joint-all-time leader in World Cup knockout goals.
3. Weston McKennie (Juventus; 31)
After a career year with Juventus in 2025/26 and a very solid World Cup performance, Weston McKennie has solidified himself not just as the consensus #2 USMNT player of his generation, but arguably as one of the greatest ever. If he continues playing at a high level, there’s no reason he won’t still be playing for the national team in 2030, even if he’s on the opposite side of his prime by then. It’s impossible to know what his position will be by then – he’s played a completely different role at each of the last three major tournaments – but it’s almost certain he’ll be involved in some capacity.
Potential pool players: Máximo Carrizo, Robert Turdean, Paxten Aaronson, Brenden Aaronson, Marvin Dills
Wingers
1. Christian Pulisic (AC Milan; 31)
There’s no need for reactionary post-2026 World Cup takes here: regardless of where in the world he’s playing, a healthy Christian Pulisic will almost certainly make the 2030 World Cup roster. At 27, there is a decent chance that the best and most consistent version of Pulisic is already behind us, and that is certainly a difficult pill to swallow. However, he still has plenty to give at both the club and international levels, and 2030 could be a great redemption opportunity for him in what will more than likely be his final World Cup.
2. Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund; 21)
From someone who broke through at Borussia Dortmund ten years ago to one who will break through there this year. Mathis Albert is one of the top U.S. prospects at the moment, and after debuting for BVB at the end of last season, he seems to be on the right trajectory toward being a future star. Additionally, the winger already has an impressive U-17 World Cup under his belt, shining at last fall’s edition despite playing up an age group; he’s eligible to return again for this year’s edition.
3. Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake; 23)
It’s clear that beyond Pulisic, winger is a position of desperate need for the U.S., which opens the door to lots of exciting young stars. As one of the final cuts from the 2026 roster despite still being uncapped, Zavier Gozo is clearly one of them. Gozo is one of MLS’ leading young talents right now and just made the league’s All-Star team as a 19-year-old; he also had a great U-20 World Cup last fall playing up two years. If he picks up his momentum from where he left off in the first half of the MLS season, the RSL homegrown will quickly break into the USMNT roster this fall, and should soon earn a move to a club in Europe’s top five leagues.
4. Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach; 29)
Maybe a hopeful inclusion given his club form, but Reyna is undoubtedly the top U.S. talent in the early-2000s generation. He hasn’t been able to put it together regularly at the club level for years, but when he’s worn the national team uniform, he has consistently performed, and that earned him the trust of Mauricio Pochettino at the end of this past cycle. If Reyna can stay healthy and put the pieces together, I can see him making a third consecutive World Cup roster, likely once again as a wild card option from the bench. With that being said, he may need to take one step backward this summer to take two steps forward for the rest of the cycle.
An intentional omission here was Diego Luna, who has made many similar 2030 projections in recent days. While the 18-time U.S. international will probably get some call-ups in the coming months, he hasn’t done anything in a USMNT shirt anytime recently to suggest he has earned a return to the team. As a low-ceiling option whose only signature moments for the U.S. came in a January friendly and against Guatemala, there isn’t much point in persisting with Luna over younger, more exciting talents… like his club teammate Gozo.
Potential pool players: Cole Campbell, Nimfasha Berchimas, Quinn Sullivan, Kevin Paredes, Álex Zendejas
Center forwards
1. Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco; 28)
It’s been quite some time since the USMNT striker debate was this clear. The version of Folarin Balogun that showed up at the 2026 World Cup is arguably the best by an American striker in 96 years, and ridiculous red card controversy aside, he was one of the stories of the tournament for the U.S. team, scoring three times. As long as he keeps things rolling and continues scoring for club and country at the rate he is right now, Balogun will undoubtedly start for the U.S. once again in 2030 and at 28, he should be at the peak of his powers.
2. Julian Hall (New York Red Bulls; 22)
Another teenage MLS All-Star who seems poised for big things. Julian Hall exploded to start the 2026 season, playing so well that he was being talked about as a potential wild card option for this year’s World Cup. While that obviously didn’t happen, the 18-year-old – who notched his first senior hat trick against the Columbus Crew in May – is now someone firmly entrenched in the national team conversation and could break through as soon as this fall for friendly matches. The expectation would be that he will be in Europe within two to three years, and if that goes well, there’s likely no question he’ll be at the World Cup… as long as he doesn’t choose to represent Poland instead.
3. Malik Jakupović (Philadelphia Union; 21)
This is perhaps my boldest pick on the list, so I suppose I’m saving the best for last. Malik Jakupović is only 16 right now, but already stands at 6’3” (1.93m) and has an intriguing profile for a future off-the-bench USMNT attacking option. In addition to an excellent aerial ability, the Union striker presses very well and is rightfully getting minutes for an admittedly terrible Eastern Conference team. It is worth mentioning that Jakupović is also eligible for Bosnia & Herzegovina; U.S. Soccer will have to manage the situation well to avoid another Esmir Bajraktarević saga.
Unfortunately, the inclusion of Jakupović takes Ricardo Pepi out of the equation, which is one of the harshest decisions I had to make here. Despite being one of the top USMNT goal scorers under Gregg Berhalter, Pepi has struggled mightily since Mauricio Pochettino took over and has not scored for the U.S. in two years. Despite that, if he continues playing well at the club level, the El Paso native should be just fine.
CF: Ricardo Pepi, Damion Downs, Patrick Agyemang, Josh Sargent, Marcos Zambrano, Alexander Staff
Final Thoughts
In the impossible exercise that is future roster projection, I feel pretty good about this one. It includes 14 players from the current 2026 roster, which is just one more than the number that carried over from 2022 to 2026. The team’s average age is just over 26, making it slightly younger than the 2026 roster – aided by the absence of a nearly 39-year-old – but still older than the notably young 2022 team.
The more revealing detail, though, is the shape of the roster. Only three players on this list – Alex Freeman, Chris Brady, and Diego Kochen – would be between 24 and 27 years old in 2030, the age range that should theoretically be entering its prime. That reflects one of the defining developments of the last cycle, which is that many of the top prospects from the 2003 to 2006 age groups simply did not break through at the level once expected. It also doesn’t help that the two best American-born 2005s, Esmir Bajraktarević and Obed Vargas, now represent other national teams.
Four years ago, in my way-too-early projection for the 2026 roster, I correctly predicted 14 of 26 players. My biggest mistake was backing several prospects from those 2003-2006 age groups to emerge, only for late bloomers like Sebastian Berhalter, Max Arfsten, and Álex Zendejas to make the roster instead of players who were then part of the U.S. U-20 and U-17 pools.
The optimism here is less about the middle of the player pool and more about the next wave, particularly the 2007 to 2009 cohorts. Not all of those players will pan out, but there are enough high-end talents in those age groups to believe that several fresh faces will force their way into the USMNT picture before 2030.
The other notable thread is continuity from the last two tournaments. Seven players on this roster – Tyler Adams, Sergiño Dest, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Matt Turner, and Tim Weah – would be making a third World Cup roster. That group has defined this era of the USMNT, and if they are at the end of or past their prime four years from now, they would form the veteran spine around which the next generation is built – something that generation simply did not have to lean on in 2022.
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