Meet the USMNT’s next generation: a cheat sheet for 12 new players in camp

Crystal Palace's Zavier Gozo, Red Bull New York’s Julian Hall and Neil Pierre of the Philadelphia Union could make their USMNT debuts in this window. Composite: Reuters; Imagn Images/Reuters; Icon Sportswire/Getty Images The United States men’s national team’s stars of tomorrow will debut en masse over the coming multi-week Fifa window, with Mauricio Pochettino calling in 13 players who have yet to debut. Cavan Sullivan, at 16 years old, is the headliner, and we’ve gone deep into what makes him special here . But he’s far from alone. Consider this a cheatsheet to get to know all the new guys on the back of their performances at the club level. All data pulled from Futi unless otherwise noted. *** Diego Kochen Goalkeeper, Lyngby (loan from Barcelona), 20 years old It’s tough to say exactly how Kochen’s first club run-out away from Barça is going, as Lyngby plays in the Danish Superliga – one of many leagues lacking in robust publicly available data. The club, just promoted from the second division, have won just one of nine games to date, conceding 16 goals from 116 shots for a 0.14 rate that’s joint-worst in the league. These are surely among the lumps both Lyngby and Barcelona are willing to let Kochen take as he gets some needed professional seasoning. Those numbers might not jump off the page, but Kochen’s profile still makes him a tantalizing prospect for a program that has been without an obvious starter in goal since Tim Howard’s retirement a decade ago. The Miami-born Kochen already got valuable reps as a training-only member of the World Cup squad. Scouting reports from Europe suggest he’s already proactive about stopping crosses, a good sign considering his slim build. It will be fascinating to finally get an up-close look at what Kochen is all about, should Pochettino give him some minutes. *** Brian Schwake Goalkeeper, Nashville SC, 25 years old This installment’s relative “unc”, Schwake joined Nashville in 2025 after some successful loan stints in Scotland and two years with Castellón. He’s first-choice this season, and has backstopped Nashville to MLS’s best record with a credible shot at setting a new single-season points record. Schwake’s rate of 0.81 goals allowed per game jumps off the page, though it’s a metric that is equally attributable to the defense in front of him. What separates Schwake from the pack is that he still keeps clean sheets under a greater shot volume, while he also offers capable cross claiming and is tidy with his distribution to minimize mistakes. Not quite a late bloomer, but an experienced pro with room to grow, especially in possession. *** Frankie Westfield Defender, Philadelphia Union, 20 years old Right back has quietly been among the thinnest parts of the US player pool for multiple cycles, especially considering Mauricio Pochettino has wisely recast Sergiño Dest as a winger given his subpar defensive awareness. Enter Westfield, a member of last year’s U-20 World Cup squad who’s thriving in his first season as Philadelphia’s preferred starter. Westfield does a lot of what coaches hope for from a modern full-back. He lobs in 3.62 crosses per 90, in the 98th percentile of MLS full-backs, while he’s also increasingly comfortable with switching play to the opposite flank. What sets Westfield apart from his peers is his progressive passing. Rather than relying on carries and one-twos to work upfield, Westfield takes the initiative himself. With a quarter of the MLS season remaining, only three players have sprayed more progressive passes: Carles Gil (attacking midfielder and the 2021 MLS MVP), Joaquin Pereyra (winger and currently second in MLS with 12 assists), and Lionel Messi (some guy you might have heard about). No other defender ranks in the top eight. For a US team that struggled to build up the right flank throughout the World Cup, Westfield offers a potential solution. *** Neil Pierre Defender, Philadelphia Union, 18 years old The towering 6ft 7in defender was heralded as arguably the Philadelphia Union academy’s best center-back prospect before making his first-team debut; no small claim given the club’s development of USMNT regulars Mark McKenzie and Auston Trusty. After spending part of 2026 on loan at Lyngby, Pierre returned to Philadelphia this summer and swiftly became its goalscoring ace on set pieces. Pierre is more than just a tall target to win headers and dunk on opponents, though. Interim manager Ryan Richter has given Pierre license to be the backline’s proactive passer - he directs 38% of his distribution upfield, in the 88th percentile among MLS center-backs. His profile is generally of a front-footed defender, ranking in the 95th percentile for high defensive actions and the 97th for balls won in midfield. Much of the lead-up to this window has lamented Noahkai Banks’ decision to commit to Germany rather than the nation he represented at the youth levels. If Pierre can continue to round out his defensive and passing chops, he could help make Banks’ about-face a footnote. *** Peyton Miller Defender, New England Revolution, 18 years old Ever since Alphonso Davies left Vancouver for Bayern Munich, MLS has seen several homegrown left-backs plucked by European suitors. This group – which includes Caleb Wiley, John Tolkin, George Bello, Sam Vines, and Kevin Paredes – has seen mixed returns over time, with Luca Bombino and Max Arfsten becoming the latest with their summer moves to Stoke City. Miller is assessed to have arguably the greatest ceiling of the bunch. That is, if he continues to play there. Increasingly operating as a right winger since the World Cup break, Miller has rare goalscoring potential for a player in his position. A brace against Orlando brought his season tally to seven, having also notched four assists predominantly from cutbacks and squared passes into the box. If he does play left-back for the US, those instincts could be handy as an alternative to the better-rounded Antonee Robinson. *** Mathis Albert Midfielder, Borussia Dortmund, 17 years old Albert has split billing with Cavan Sullivan as this US generation’s headline attackers, but while Sullivan is able to enjoy regular starts in MLS, Albert is still largely a training player, not even starting regularly with Dortmund II. And yet, the talent that earned him a Bundesliga debut at a younger age than Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna is unmissable. Once part of the LA Galaxy academy, Albert takes to the wing with mazing intentionality, able to dribble upfield with ease thanks to his unusually effective acceleration with the ball at his feet. Beyond that, much of his skillset is yet to be determined, especially in terms of figuring whether he’s more likely an upfield advancer, a chance-creator, or a finisher. *** Zavier Gozo Midfielder, Crystal Palace, 19 years old In any other window, Gozo’s senior international debut would almost certainly serve as the headline inclusion – he may be best positioned among the baker’s dozen of newcomers to stick around immediately and for the long haul. While he’s been an infrequent contributor to Palace thus far, his decisiveness and ability to wring threatening shots from seemingly unpromising sequences is a rare danger. Gozo warranted late consideration as a World Cup wild-card thanks to a red-hot start to the MLS season with Real Salt Lake. He has the tricks and ingenuity to catch opponents off-guard with his dribbling, and his MLS side got some strong shifts from him at right wing-back, as well. That only enhances his versatility, meaning he could work into Pochettino’s plans at multiple spots. *** Adri Mehmeti Midfielder, Red Bull New York, 17 years old Arguably the league’s best midfield prospect since Tyler Adams, Mehmeti is a fixture of the Red Bulls’ engine room. Currently a lean six feet tall, he already serves as the team’s epicenter in possession, leading the team in touches and responsibly linking the defensive line to the attack. It’s a role he’s taken to with unusual grace for a player his age who only made his MLS debut in the 2026 season opener, operating with poise more commonly seen from players with at least 100 senior matches to their name. Part of Mehmeti’s precocious approach relies on how he positions himself to collect passes, consistently changing his posture to leave opponents in two minds about what he’ll do next. When New York is in the final third, he’s already shown off a knack for threading through balls to create chances. His time with Red Bulls head coach Michael Bradley should be crucial in rounding out his midfield approach, invaluable tutelage from arguably the United States’ greatest box-to-box midfielder. *** Brooklyn Raines Midfielder, New England Revolution, 21 years old Raines is one of a few players brought in with an eye toward the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Born in Monrovia, Liberia, he spent crucial time developing at the Barça Residency Academy in Arizona, the same program that yielded Bournemouth full-back Julian Araujo and RSL playmaker Diego Luna. Operating on the right of the Revolution midfield, Raines is a tidy passer with baked-in instincts to recirculate. Just 22.1% of his passes are directed upfield, fourth-lowest among 75 qualified midfielders. Instead, Raines’ instinct is often to carry the ball into the final third – an invaluable trait for a possession-dominant team that often faces mid-to-low defensive blocks, as the US often does in Concacaf play. Raines ranks in the 76th percentile of midfielders for progressive carrying, and offers an option for indirect dead ball service. *** Cole Campbell Winger, SV Elversberg, 20 years old Campbell first drew attention as part of German Bundesliga side Dortmund’s conveyor belt of dribbly American wingers. A summer move to recently promoted Elversberg has resulted in way more minutes on the field, with Campbell scoring his first Bundesliga goal last month in a win over Bayer Leverkusen. Fitting the Dortmund archetype, Campbell is a direct winger who looks to get past his defensive mark to find dangerous areas in and around the box. Elversberg manager Vincent Wagner encourages his charges to play without fear , and the Houston native revels in that mentality. In a small sample, Campbell has already shown plenty of initiative to get on the ball in the final third, while looking more inclined to try his own shot than set up a teammate. *** Justin Ellis Forward, Orlando City, 19 years old Ellis is the latest player whose career has benefited from playing with Antoine Griezmann, who joined Orlando over the summer. Despite entering the 2026 season with just two MLS minutes on his ledger, Ellis has already played 11 assists in his first full season, including eight since Griezmann’s post-World Cup arrival. Born in Wellington, Florida, Ellis has quickly established himself as an ideal running mate whenever Orlando is on the break. It’s fair to call him more “tricky” than outright quick, as his nimble movement and quick acceleration separates him from marks more often than downhill running. Time will tell whether Ellis eventually settles in as a finesse striker or more of an attacking midfielder, but for now, he’s another option to put a backline on skates. *** Julian Hall Forward, Red Bull New York, 18 years old So unmissable was Hall’s early season form that the Polish federation presented Hall’s mother with a national team jersey bearing her maiden name, Zakrzewski. Hall, a dual citizen, has yet to fully commit to either country, but Poland head coach Jan Urban will be closely counting Hall’s cap tally closely – an appearance in all four friendlies could permanently tie his future to the United States. While his form dipped this summer alongside all of the Red Bulls, Hall’s call felt inevitable thanks to 10 goals and five assists in 2,198 MLS minutes this season. Thus far in his young career, Hall’s calling card has been his preternatural reading of space and knack for slipping into scoring positions before opponents see it coming. While some center forwards largely stay in the middle of the park and others drift in from a half space to catch a goalkeeper off-center, Hall is happy to flow from sideline to sideline to get involved. From there, his interplay can get him into prime scoring territory: eight of his 10 goals this year have come from shots inside the six-yard box. Also of note: Hall was named in last year’s Guardian Next Generation list – the next edition of that will be out soon.