GLENDALE, Ariz. — Cavan Sullivan scored his first goal for the U.S. men’s soccer team on Saturday night, and he did it in spectacular fashion.
In the latest edition of the U.S.-Mexico rivalry, the 17-year-old Union phenom stole pass and launched a nearly 35-yard chip shot for the Americans’ second goal of a 3-0 win, electrifying a packed crowd at State Farm Stadium.
It made him the youngest goal-scorer in senior U.S. men’s team history at 17 years and 5 days.
CAVAN SULLIVAN SCORES IN HIS FIRST USA-MEXICO GAME 😤
Sullivan was in the starting lineup for the second time in three games, as U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino fulfilled a pregame promise to have another mix of youth and veterans.
It was no surprise that for a game of this magnitude, Pochettino went with eight veterans instead of a closer-to-even split. The other two newcomers were striker Julian Hall, who impressed with a goal in each of the two previous games, and goalkeeper Diego Kochen.
The veteran contingent included Media’s Auston Trusty, who started at centerback next to Chris Richards. It was Trusty’s second time facing Mexico, two years after his first came in a friendly in Guadalajara.
Almost everything about the surroundings was as expected, including the pro-Mexico crowd. (It was always going to be that way in this part of the country, as it would be at any NFL stadium.) The one surprise was Mexico’s late scratch of its teen sensation, Gilberto Mora, due to an ankle injury.
Mexico had the better of the play for most of the first half-hour, which was also expected with its veteran-laden squad. But the U.S. scored first by hitting El Tri in one of its biggest weak spots: goalkeeper.
In the 28th minute, a rare moment arose when Mexico’s press backed off the U.S. defense. That allowed Americans the Americans to put together one of their first sustained passing sequences of the night.
It led to Sebastian Berhalter sending Alex Freeman up the right wing, and he played a ball between two defenders that Gio Reyna hustled to reach in open space. As Reyna neared the end line, he turned a half-shot-half-pass back toward the middle. Mexican netminder Raúl Rangel completely misplayed it, and Hall pounced for his latest smart finish.
Three games, three goals for Julian Hall, who starts celebration, then gives a little smile like he can’t believe what is happening. pic.twitter.com/vKwTKd0spL
Sullivan didn’t do much attack-wise in the first half, but he was a lively high-presser — which no doubt will have pleased the U.S. coaching staff. He was on the ball much more in the early stages of the second half, and made some incisive runs.
Kochen took the spotlight in the 58th with a leaping save of Roberto Alvarado’s shot off a free kick sequence. There had been some iffy moments for the 20-year-old up to then, in his second national team game and first start. But that play showed why his prospect stock is so high.
Then came the moment that will live on highlight reels for a long time.
Rangel stood on the ball well outside his 18-yard box looking for a teammate to pass to. His eventual play was a softball on the ground that Sullivan jumped on. A turn and first touch settled the ball, and his second touch was a chip shot from nearly 35 yards. It sailed over Rangel and floated right into the middle of the net.
As the crowd erupted, Sullivan screamed, then ran to the corner of the stands near where the U.S. substitutes were warming up — including Union teammates Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield. Within seconds, the entire American squad had swarmed him to celebrate.
Sullivan emerged in the grasp of a big embrace from two of the most experienced veterans, Richards and Robinson. Adams, newly re-appointed as the U.S. captain, arrived next for another bearhug and an exchange of words.
The moment felt with emotional significance. And if that wasn’t enough, the scoreboard told another story to savor. It read 2-0 — dos a cero. The Americans’ favorite score against their favorite rival lived again, thanks to their bright new stars.
But this time, that wasn’t the final score. Malik Tillman capped things off in the 85th, outhustling Mexican centerback Diego Campillo to a loose ball and smashing it first-time from 12 yards.
💥🇺🇸 ¡¡TILLMAN LE GANA LA CARRERA A CAMPILLO Y SENTENCIA LA GOLEADA!!
⚽🔥 Diego Campillo dejó correr el balón, pero Malik Tillman aceleró, le ganó por velocidad y aprovechó el error defensivo para aumentar la ventaja de @USMNT.
Between those goals, there was one of many old-fashioned ruckuses like these teams have always had. In the 69th, Mexico’s Mateo Chávez barged into Yunus Musah off the ball, and referee Selvin Brown of Honduras gave Chávez a straight red card.
Sullivan exited right after his goal, replaced by Yunus Musah. Justin Ellis entered for Hall at the same time. In the final minutes, Pochettino used three more of the eight total subs available to him: Brooklyn Raines for Reyna, Peyton Miller for Berhalter, and Mathis Albert for Tillman.
By the end, most of the crowd was streaming for the exits. But the U.S. fans stuck around, and serenaded the team with a rendition of John Denver’s “Country Roads,” the song that became the team’s anthem at the World Cup.
ORLANDO — Cavan Sullivan made his senior U.S. men’s soccer debut at the first available opportunity, as the 16-year-old was part of the starting lineup in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Peru.
Taking the field two days before his 17th birthday, Sullivan became the fourth-youngest player in senior men’s national team history and second-youngest starter.
He was a lively presence in a 61-minute run: 35 touches, including seven in the 18-yard box, 25 completed passes of 28 attempted, one shot, and one defensive recovery.
He even raised the Peruvians’ ire at one point midway through the first half. Chasing after a potential rebound, he was pushed from behind into goalkeeper Pedro Gallese and tumbled over him into the net. Referee Steffon Dewar of Jamaica quickly got in the middle of things to calm them down, and gave Sullivan a yellow card after Gallese was attended to by medical staff.
On two occasions later in the first half, Sullivan had opportunities to go for spectacular plays on the ball if he wanted to. But both times, he stayed restrained and made simpler moves to help teammates.
Tactically, he played in a right-sided attacking midfield role in a 4-2-3-1 formation. It’s the same area of the field he plays in with the Union, though in slightly different tactics under Ryan Richter’s 4-2-2-2 setup.
Sullivan was one of four players with Union or Philadelphia ties in Saturday’s starting lineup, along with Media’s Auston Trusty and Chester’s George Campbell at centerback, and Wayne’s Matt Freese at goalkeeper.
Trusty and Freese are former Union players, and Trusty and Campbell were youth soccer teammates at the former Nether United club in Delaware County.
Campbell tried out for the Union academy at one point and didn’t get in, though his brothers Will and Rob did. The family moved to Atlanta in 2013, so George grew up with Atlanta United. He played professionally there from 2020 to 2022, then moved to CF Montréal before the 2023 season, and joined English second-tier club West Bromwich Albion last year.
The U.S. opened the scoring in just four minutes, with forward Justin Ellis delivering in his club home stadium with Orlando City. But the good mood didn’t last, as a giveaway by Campbell led to Gianluca Lapadula’s equalizer in the 15th.
Each side was allowed 11 substitutions per game, far more than soccer’s usual five, and U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino used all of his.
The first came at halftime, Freese departing for much-touted prospect Diego Kochen. The 20-year-old Miami native grew up at Spanish superpower Barcelona, and is currently at Denmark’s Lyngby — a club part-owned by the Union — on a loan for the season.
There was a wave of five subs just past the hour mark. Sullivan, Ellis, Gio Reyna (who assisted Ellis’ goal with a free kick), Yunus Musah, and Peyton Miller left, and Mathis Albert, Julian Hall, Zavier Gozo, Sebastian Berhalter, and Antonee Robinson entered.
Albert made an instant impact, darting down the left flank and winning a penalty kick on a foul that replays showed started outside the 18-yard box. But with no video review in use, the call stood, and the play showed why the 17-year-old from Germany’s Borussia Dortmund is another big-time prospect.
Malik Tillman stepped up to the spot and calmly dispatched his shot.
Hall extended the lead in the 72nd, crashing the back post to finish Sebastian Berhalter’s cross. Robinson also got credit on the play, hitting a beautiful cross-field pass that Berhalter settled before his assist.
Five minutes later, Westfield subbed in, meaning he coincidentally made his senior U.S. debut on the same field where he made his Union first-team debut in last year’s season opener. Brooklyn Raines also entered, with Alex Freeman and Tillman departing.
18-year-old Julian Hall off the bench to score on his debut.
The last moves came in the 88th. Neil Pierre replaced Campbell — meaning all three Union players made their senior U.S debuts in this game — and Adri Mehmeti replaced Tyler Adams.
Berhalter capped off the scoring with a 25-yard thunderbolt in the 90th.
In all, 11 of the 12 newcomers on the U.S. squad got on the field, with Campbell earning his second career cap. Goalkeeper Brian Schwake was only one of the bunch who didn’t play.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — When Auston Trusty turned pro with the Union a decade ago, the club’s youth academy was just starting to find its footing.
Now everyone knows about it, and the waves of players it has produced for the club and the U.S. national team. Trusty knows better than most, as the Media native is on the academy’s board.
But the scale of how far things have come in less than a decade has hit especially hard this week. The 28-year-old is sharing the field with the newest Union youngsters to break through: Cavan Sullivan, Neil Pierre, and Frankie Westfield.
“Yeah, it’s crazy. I still think of myself as the young kid from Philadelphia, but now these guys are,” Trusty told The Inquirer on Thursday in an interview at U.S. Soccer’s national training center, before the team headed to Orlando to prepare for Saturday’s game against Peru (4:30 p.m., TNT, Telemundo 62).
Cavan Sullivan (second from left) on the ball in front of Auston Trusty during a drill at Thursday’s practice.Jonathan Tannenwald
“The way they look at me, they all know my history,” he said. “They all know where I came from, how I came from it, and I’ve been that person they’ve been trying to aspire to be. I’m really appreciative, I’m really grateful, and it’s a blessing that I’m able to be that person for them.”
It feels long ago, at least in soccer terms, that Trusty turned down a scholarship offer to the University of North Carolina in the summer of 2016. He signed with the Union just days before he’d have headed to Chapel Hill. Back then, such a move was seen as unusual.
“College, at the time, was probably the smarter move to other people,” he recalled. “To me, signing pro, I was taking a risk for myself. So it kind of opened that pathway for all these kids to come after me, and it’s pretty cool.”
A year after Trusty’s move, Mark McKenzie left Wake Forest following his freshman season, and Brenden Aaronson backed out of a verbal commitment to Indiana.
Auston Trusty (left) and Mark McKenzie together during their playing days with the Union.
The tide had turned, and there was no going back. By the time Frankie Westfield turned pro in 2024 instead of going to Penn State, no one batted an eye.
On Thursday, Trusty and Westfield had lunch together after teaming up in one of the morning’s training drills.
“From what I’ve known from him, and from what I’ve heard, he’s a great player [with a] great mindset,” Trusty said. “Him, along with the other players from [the] Union, it’s really cool to see how far they’ve come, together and individually, and also their mindsets. … It’s their first time, so maybe they’d be hesitant, but they have great mindsets, and that’s what I really want to see.”
It was obvious to ask about Pierre, a fellow centerback with so much potential. Trusty hadn’t talked with him much yet as of Thursday, mainly due to travel delays coming over from his club home at Celtic in Glasgow, Scotland. But Trusty has seen highlights, including of Pierre’s four goals for the Union this year, and is happy to have another Union centerback with the national team.
Neil Pierre (third from right) is always easy to spot in a crowd thanks to his 6-foot-6 frame.Jonathan Tannenwald
“He seems [like] a really good guy, seems good as a person, as a player, seems like he has a lot of talent,” Trusty said. “Obviously, his physical attributes — he’s really tall, and I think a lot of times people can focus on physical attributes. I’m really excited to see how he is on the ball, how he is as a player.”
And of course, there’s Sullivan. Trusty has known the 16-year-old and his family for a while, so he hasn’t just seen the player through Union games.
“He’s a humble kid, and he’s a grinder,” Trusty said. “He has that Philadelphia Union mindset where you know you don’t take it for granted, you go out there and grind, and you make the most of it. But he’s a humble kid, and he comes from a good family as well.”
It will strike some people that Trusty focused on Sullivan’s humility. To outsiders, the talk is of cockiness and a hype train. But Trusty knows the difference between that and the right kind of confidence.
Cavan Sullivan (right) cracking a smile at the start of Thursday’s practice.Jonathan Tannenwald
“You see him off the pitch, see how he approaches a game, how he starts a game, how he approaches his transactions with teammates and coaches, and the game itself with his own play,” he said. “But during it, if someone’s going to do stepovers, someone’s scoring goals, and they’re celebrating, or if they show confidence on the pitch, that is exactly what you want to see. I don’t want an attacker, or any player, on the pitch that’s not confident.”
Given that, he concluded: “So if someone’s feeling themselves, someone’s confident in their ability and backs themselves, all power to him.”
Now the time has come for Sullivan and the other newcomers to make their first marks at a new level.
“It’s for the more veteran, more established players to lead the young guys, and guys who could possibly get their first caps, to make sure they know what this team’s about,” Trusty said. “When you wear this crest, you’re not just representing yourself. You’re representing your teammates, your coaches, but everyone that’s ever believed in you, and an entire nation that’s behind you. So it really means a lot.”
Most of Neil Pierre’s rapid rise this summer has been watched by a mix of Union fans who’ve enjoyed the team’s turnaround since the World Cup, and soccer savants intrigued by a new big-time prospect.
However, that is about to change, potentially forever. Such is the power of being part of the senior U.S. national team for the first time.
“The biggest thing is, just, you’re representing the whole country,” Pierre said in a meeting with the media from U.S. Soccer’s national training center in suburban Atlanta on Tuesday. “It’s definitely another level from representing Philadelphia to everyone in the States. … You’re representing everyone that doesn’t get seen, and trying to represent the good and not the bad.”
Understandably, Cavan Sullivan is getting the most hype of the trio of young Union stars on the latest roster. But that doesn’t mean the other two aren’t getting any. Pierre and Frankie Westfield will get their due over the course of the FIFA window that runs from this week through Oct. 6.
He admitted to being “a little nervous coming in here — these players, I’ve watched growing up a little bit, and in the World Cup.”
But as so often happens when the national team has a new generation, there was a warm welcome for a player who has featured for U.S. youth teams since 2022.
“The expectation they gave me was, enjoy, compete, and obviously it’s an honor to represent the crest,” Pierre said. “So do everything and show everything that was the reason why you’re coming here.”
Or, as he put it more bluntly a moment later: “They tell me, like, ‘Yeah, great to meet you, but hey, you better show it on the field.’”
Neil Pierre (left) on the ball during a Union game in July.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Pierre has reached this point because of his strong play for the Union in recent months. He has featured in all 11 games of the club’s unbeaten run in regular-season play since the World Cup, with 10 starts, and is the squad’s top centerback in clearances, tackles, and blocked shots per 90 minutes.
Along with that, he has shown the passing skills that had scouts raving when he was in the academy, and chipped in four goals on top of it all.
Going there was a key step in proving Pierre was ready for the physicality of MLS, which is a big step up from the reserve team level where the 6-foot-7 defender had been.
“My loan in Denmark, I would say that was a very, very big part of my success this year, I think,” Pierre said. “Being away from home for the first time, seeing a whole different world, it was a good thing — it was kind of like, I would say, my college experience away from college, growing as a person. I think that also translated to [helping] on the field.”
It’s a measure of Pierre’s maturity that he knew the significance of the “college experience” line, and that he’ll never have the real thing. That’s the way it is in the soccer world, as it has already been for so many Union players.
There’s more symbolism in the fact that this squad also includes Auston Trusty, the first centerback to rise through the Union academy ranks to the pros. It would be quite a sight for Union fans if the Media native and Pierre share the field in one of the Americans’ four upcoming games.
Trusty didn’t arrive in camp until Tuesday afternoon because of some personal commitments, so Pierre hadn’t gotten to meet him yet when he spoke. But Trusty needs no introduction to anyone who comes through the Union ranks. There are photos of him around the campus — no doubt a few more since this year’s World Cup — and he is on the board of the Union’s academy.
Media native Auston Trusty (center) made his first World Cup squad this summer, and scored his first World Cup goal in the U.S.-Turkey group stage game.Mark J. Terrill
“It will definitely be good meeting him,” Pierre said. “On the field, we’ll see how we play together and connect, and then obviously off the field, we’re going to have some banter and jokes about it.”
In the meantime, Pierre was joined on the podium by another centerback from the World Cup team, Miles Robinson. The FC Cincinnati veteran has liked what he has seen.
“Obviously, he’s a great player just to be here in the first place,” Robinson said while seated next to Pierre on the podium. “What I’ve seen so far, he’s obviously strong, a big force, he’s calm on the ball, technical. Just to see him at 18 years old in this game, in this camp, really proving himself day by day, is something to definitely admire and appreciate.”
Union phenom Cavan Sullivan’s rapid rise in the soccer world reached a new milestone on Thursday, as the 16-year-old earned his first invitation to the senior U.S. men’s national team.
He is one of three Union players on the latest 28-man squad, along with defenders Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield. They’re joined by three more with local roots: goalkeeper Matt Freese of Wayne, and centerbacks Auston Trusty of Media and George Campbell of Chester.
Video: Philly’s Cavan Sullivan reacts to being called up to U.S. men’s national team.
Since the Union resumed their season after the World Cup, Sullivan has scored six goals and added five assists in 12 appearances. They include highlight-reel moments that seized headlines across the globe: a dazzling trap and run for a goal at Red Bull New York on Aug. 29, and a backheeled finish in a 5-0 rout at San Diego FC on Sunday.
“I think he deserves all the praise that he’s getting,” U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino said in a news conference Thursday morning. “Because he’s performing well, he’s playing well, he’s giving assists and scoring goals — and he’s 16.”
Attention isn’t just coming from within MLS. They’re watching on Europe’s big stage, too, since Sullivan is due to join English superpower Manchester City at the end of 2027.
The deal was agreed upon when he turned pro with his hometown club at 14 years old in 2024. While neither club can discuss it publicly because of British labor laws, everyone knows the clock is ticking.
Just before 2 a.m. in Manchester, and it might have woken some people over there up… pic.twitter.com/jI4u2a7pW5
Right now, Sullivan is enjoying the present, kept grounded by coaches, teammates, and family. Chief among them is his oldest brother, Quinn Sullivan, a stalwart of the Union in his own right who earned his senior national team debut last year.
“We need to have a clear idea how to — I don’t want to use the word ‘help,’ but just to be with him and try to provide the best platform for him to evolve,” Pochettino said of wanting to get to know Sullivan. “Every day, we need to be the people that go there to push, and to evolve, and to sometimes put limits, sometimes to encourage to keep going [and] doing what he’s doing. It’s a good challenge for us, and I think it’s exciting to have him.”
The plan to get Sullivan to begin his career in Chester, with the right mix of firmness and care, has worked perfectly so far. And it’s the latest endorsement of the Union’s youth academy, which has become a remarkable pipeline for U.S. national team talent.
Media’s Auston Trusty is one of the veterans on this U.S. squad.Jonathan Tannenawld
Pierre, Westfield also earn the call
Now a new era is arriving, and not just with Sullivan. He’s joined on this squad by two more of the Union’s leading youngsters: Pierre, an 18-year-old centerback, and Westfield, a 20-year-old outside back.
“You are happy for Philadelphia, no?” Pochettino said. “Plenty of players from Philadelphia.”
Both players are major candidates for the 2028 Olympic squad, which is a big part of why they were invited. The Olympics is an under-23 age-group event, and this window is one of the only chances for candidates to get senior national team experience before they go into their own training regimen.
Pierre was born in Lebanon, Pa., and his family moved to Blue Bell so his older brother, Nelson, could join the Union’s academy as a kid. In time, Neil made his own impression and now is the club’s top centerback prospect since McKenzie and Trusty.
Neil Pierre (right) has made his own rapid rise with the Union this summer.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
He’s impossible to miss on the field, standing 6-foot-7. He’s scored four goals since joining the Union’s first team this summer. But he also has proven he has the defensive chops to mix it up with veterans and a terrific passing game.
“When you compare him with a 30-year-old, or 26- or 28-year-old centerback that maybe is playing in another country, or maybe in MLS, I don’t see the difference [just] because one has more experience than other,” Pochettino said. “Both can make a mistake; both can be good. That is why, [with] this type of potential, when players like this guy are playing in MLS, how we can contribute in their career, to evolve and be better and better, is this guy being with us.”
Westfield grew up at the other end of Northeast Philadelphia from the Sullivans, in Morrell Park. For a while, he might not have been the most famous athlete in his house, at least locally: his brother, Rocco, starred for the Father Judge boys’ basketball team that won the last two Catholic League championships.
Frankie made his pro debut the night before Rocco claimed the first of his titles. Now, he has made a name for himself.
Frankie Westfield has been impressive as the Union’s starting right back.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“I think that it’s normal that it’s a different process now to build the roster,” Pochettino said. “With the idea of not only to perform today, but also to help these young kids to become more mature, more experienced — and because the one of the biggest objectives of the [U.S. Soccer] Federation is the Olympic Games in two years. And I think giving the opportunity to be involved in this senior team is a thing that is going to pay and to be very helpful in two years for these kids.”
The Union trio is part of a fleet of fascinating youngsters on this latest U.S. squad. Others include wingers Mathis Albert of Germany’s Borussia Dortmund, Cole Campbell of Germany’s Elversberg, and Zavier Gozo of England’s Crystal Palace; forward Julian Hall and midfielder Adri Mehmeti of Red Bull New York; and goalkeeper Diego Kochen, who grew up at Spanish giant Barcelona and is now with Denmark’s Lyngby.
Eleven of the 26 players on the squad are newcomers, with 13 returnees from the World Cup. Among the latter are Freese, Trusty, and perennial locker room leaders Chris Richards and Tyler Adams.
The Americans will take the field starting Monday at the national training center in suburban Atlanta, then head off on a cross-country journey with four games: Peru on Sept. 26 in Orlando, Chile on Sept. 29 in St. Louis, then rivals Mexico on Oct. 3 in Glendale, Ariz., and Canada on Oct. 6 in St. Paul, Minn.
Mathis Albert of Germany’s Borussia Dortmund (right) is another of the intriguing young talents on this U.S. roster.Oliver Hardt
USMNT roster for autumn friendlies
Local products in bold
Goalkeepers (4): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Diego Kochen (Lyngby, Denmark), Brian Schwake (Nashville SC)
Defenders (10): George Campbell (West Bromwich Albion, England), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), Alex Freeman (Villarreal, Spain), Peyton Miller (New England Revolution), Neil Pierre (Union), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace, England), Antonee Robinson (Fulham, England), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Auston Trusty (Celtic, Scotland), Frankie Westfield (Union)
Midfielders (9): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth, England), Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Sebastian Berhalter (Middlesbrough, England), Zavier Gozo (Crystal Palace), Adri Mehmeti (Red Bull New York), Yunus Musah (AC Milan, Italy), Brooklyn Raines (New England Revolution), Gio Reyna (Strasbourg, France), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)
Forwards (5): Cole Campbell (Elversberg, Germany); Justin Ellis (Orlando City), Julian Hall (Red Bull New York), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), Cavan Sullivan (Union)
"You are happy for Philadelphia, no? Plenty of players from Philadelphia."
Yes, it is an enjoyable part of my job as a professional cynic. But he can rest assured that lots of people around town are happy today:
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — It’s a good thing that the U.S. men’s soccer team’s 3-2 loss to Turkey on Thursday didn’t matter for the standings. Because in many other circumstances, it would have been infuriating, not just annoying.
Had the game finished tied, there would have been very few complaints. Everyone knew coming in that the lineup would have a lot of rotation. An unbeaten run through the group stage would have kept up the good vibes, even with that changed squad giving up two goals.
Instead, giving up a last-kick-of-the-game goal meant the questions that followed were far less positive.
“Having that moment in the last moment where they score, it’s tough,” said Medford’s Brenden Aaronson, whose first World Cup start included four tackles, three defensive recoveries, three shots, 21-of-22 passing, and a first-touch misfire toward an open net in the 62nd minute that overshadowed much of the rest of his night.
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 26, 2026
“We wanted to walk away with no losses in the group stage, but we’ve got to take it, as it was still a fantastic group stage,” Aaronson said. “We had so many really good performances, and even before the group stage, in the friendlies. We’re at a top level. I’m not worried whatsoever, and we’re going to move on to the next one and be ready to go for Bosnia” in the round of 32.
Other players were more positive, in particular Sebastian Berhalter. He had an assist and a terrific goal in the game, and tried to set a tone by stepping to the microphone first.
Asked if the final score affects the team’s momentum, he said bluntly, “No, it doesn’t. … I think we gave everything we had, and we’ll be ready for the knockouts.”
Manager Mauricio Pochettino was flat-out defiant, saying “no one congratulated us for finishing first in a very difficult group.”
He repeatedly chided the media, saying at one point: “Your questions are a little bit weird, but I am so happy, and the players are happy, because I think we perform, we compete, and we are first. … Maybe I am confused, but the mood, the vibes [are] like we go home tonight and Turkey stays.”
Tyler Adams, who watched from the bench to avoid getting another yellow card, was asked if it’s better to flush the moment as Berhalter wanted or keep it as motivation heading into the knockout rounds.
“It’s not going to be perfect,” he said. “No tournament is perfect. You live and you learn. I think a lot of the guys will take lessons from that game. A lot of good performances otherwise.”
A moment later, goalkeeper Matt Turner was asked the same question. His inclusion in the starting lineup was perhaps the most controversial of the nine changes Pochettino made from the Australia game.
Matt Turner (left) watches Turkey’s players celebrate the game-winning goal.Mark J. Terrill
“When it’s 2-2 at the end there, that probably would have been the more fair result given the chances both sides had, but this is football, and we know how cruel the game can be,” he said. “We let our guard down, and we got punished for it. We were all in positions to make a play, and none of us could make the decisive play.”
Alejandro Zendejas, who finally got to make his World Cup debut, had a similar opinion.
“It’s always the worst, especially on the last play of the game, when that happens — when I think we had the game controlled, pretty dominated in my opinion,” he said. “But yeah, it’s a time to take the night or the day to reflect on the game, and then turn the page right away to focus on the next round for sure.”
In the big picture, the result didn’t matter — a rare luxury for a U.S. team that for decades has scrapped for every point it has gained at men’s World Cups. But it still did in a way, because a last-second goal like that has to matter.
Sebastian Berhalter (right) helping Auston Trusty (6) to his feet after the final whistle.Gregory Bull
And when the Americans, who won Group D, next take the field, on July 1 against Bosnia & Herzegovina in Santa Clara, Calif. (8 p.m., Fox29, Telemundo), the result will be all that matters. Bosnia & Herzegovina finished third in Group B.
“You can always take these things as fuel,” Aaronson said. Many U.S. fans will hope the team does so.
Whatever ends up happening to the U.S. in the knockout rounds, one moment will stay in the history books for a long time. Media native Auston Trusty became the first men’s player born and raised in the Philadelphia region to score a World Cup goal when he slammed in Berhalter’s corner kick service in the third minute.
“I’m a center back usually, playing in a left back spot [in this game],” Trusty said. “I can advance up, I can show different parts of my game going forward. I live and breathe for corners, and then had the opportunity and took advantage of it.”
THE @USMNT SCORES IN THE 3RD MINUTE TO TAKE THE LEAD 🇺🇸
The only other male player to have lived in the area and scored a World Cup goal was Bart McGhee. He immigrated from Scotland to Philadelphia as a child and scored the program’s first-ever World Cup goal in the inaugural tournament in 1930.
“It means everything,” Trusty said. “I absolutely didn’t know that stat. … I think it’s an honor to score a goal and even participate in this competition, let alone score a goal. So yeah, just a dream come true.”
His celebration was as vibrant as the shot, as he screamed and raised a finger while sprinting away toward the U.S. bench. And back home, a big crowd at Philadelphia’s fan fest on Lemon Hill roared just as loudly.
Trusty’s night ended on a sour note when he got stepped on by Turkey’s Oğuz Aydın, rolled an ankle, and managed to suffer a hamstring cramp as he hit the ground. He went back in the game (in part because the U.S. was out of substitutions), then slipped amid the chaos of the last goal.
By the time he emerged to the media, he had that ankle wrapped, but otherwise, he didn’t seem any worse for wear.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — With first place already secured, the U.S. men’s soccer team finished out its World Cup group stage slate with a 3-2 loss to Turkey on Thursday.
Kaan Ayhan scored the winner with the last kick of the game in the 98th minute, denying the Americans an unbeaten group run after wins in the firsttwo games.
That took the air out of what had been a raucous crowd of 70,492 that watched Media’s Auston Trusty score the second-fastest U.S. goal in men’s World Cup history, and Sebastian Berhalter tie the score early in the second half after Turkey led 2-1 at halftime.
Still, with the group already wrapped up, the U.S. is set to face Bosnia & Herzegovina in the round of 32 on July 1 in Santa Clara, Calif. (8 p.m., Fox29, Telemundo 62). That matchup was confirmed earlier Thursday by other results across the final round of the group stage.
Against Turkey, U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino started the night by making even more lineup rotations than he’d hinted at. There were nine changes from the last starting group against Australia, and 10 from the opening game against Paraguay. Weston McKennie goes down as the only player to start all three games, and Ricardo Pepi as the only other player to start two.
Trusty got things going by smashing in a Sebastian Berhalter corner kick that fell right at his feet. The Media native and Union product ran away screaming as he celebrated his first national team goal, and the first U.S. goal at a men’s World Cup scored by a player born in the Philadelphia region.
The only other American goal scorer to have resided in the area was Scotland-to-Philadelphia immigrant Bart McGhee in 1930, the first tournament in history.
THE @USMNT SCORES IN THE 3RD MINUTE TO TAKE THE LEAD 🇺🇸
It was also the second-fastest scored by a U.S. player at a men’s World Cup, topping John O’Brien’s fourth-minute tally against Portugal in 2002. (Clint Dempsey’s strike in 30 seconds against Ghana in 2014 will be a lot harder to beat.)
Alas, the lead only lasted seven minutes. It started with Arda Güler of Spanish superpower Real Madrid taking a pretty pass from Oğuz Aydın, then beating Mark McKenzie twice off the dribble as he ran forward. The first move cleared a path for Barış Alper Yılmaz, and the second came when Yılmaz returned the ball to Güler for an easy finish past Matt Turner.
McKenzie nearly made up for it in the 29th when the U.S. got another corner kick and he cashed in a rebound. But he was offside when Pepi’s initial shot was saved by Uğurcan Çakır, so it didn’t count.
Orkun Kökçü put Turkey ahead in the 31st by capping off the kind of move Turkey was supposed to make throughout this tournament: fast, skilled passing leading to a precise finish. Güler was in the middle of the buildup along with Turkey’s other superstar, Kenan Yıldız of Italy’s Juventus.
Now, at last, the team that had taken 62 shots over its first two games without scoring — the most of any team in the tournament, and the highest total without a goal since stats started in 1966 — was finally finding the net. And of course it had to come in this game, not just for the U.S.’ sake but for the sake of a team already eliminated from advancing.
Another look at the build-up from Türkiye and the goal from Kökçü to take the lead over the US in Los Angeles 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/CPvlOSPbUY
The U.S. flew out of the gates again to start the second half, and this time Berhalter finished a goal instead of starting it. McKenzie launched a throw-in, Turkey’s Abdülkerim Bardakcı knocked it down in the box, the ball deflected out to Berhalter, and he lashed in a first-time hit from the 18-yard line.
2-2! SEBASTIAN BERHALTER FINDS THE EQUALIZER FOR THE @USMNT 🇺🇸
Christian Pulisic was the first substitute to enter, replacing Tim Weah in the 58th. It wasn’t a surprise that he played, but it was a bit surprising that he came in so early.
Four minutes later, Brenden Aaronson caught a piece of a loose ball off Çakır’s save of a Pulisic shot, but his first-touch attempt rolled far off target.
A trio of subs entered in the 77th: Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman, and Alejandro Zendejas for Aaronson, Gio Reyna, and Joe Scally. That set up the U.S. with three centerbacks for the rest of the night, plus Trusty continuing his start on the left flank.
Malik Tillman was the last substitute to enter, replacing McKennie in the 86th.
Unfortunately, the night ended on a bad note for Trusty. He was clipped by Aydın and went down in a heap. But at least he could walk off under his own power, and he returned to the game after a short spell on the sideline.
SEATTLE — At the final whistle of the U.S. men’s soccer team’s 2-0 win over Australia on Friday, Auston Trusty walked over to Matt Freese to offer a big hug.
They didn’t know that a photographer from the Associated Press was standing nearby to capture the moment. But soon enough, everyone found out.
“He came over to me and said, ‘Two Delco-heads just had a shutout in the World Cup together. That’s fate,’” the Wayne-born Freese said after his shutout in net. “And I laughed and I said, ‘Yeah, who would have thought?’”
Perhaps Jim Curtin, or other coaches across the Union ranks who worked with the duo over the years. But not too many people beyond Chester, or Wayne in those days, since that was YSC Academy’s first home.
“It’s obviously such a cool thing to have known him for so long, and I knew him outside of the soccer world too,” Freese said of Trusty. “We were just friends. So it’s incredible.”
That wasn’t the only karmic coincidence of the day. Trusty made his World Cup debut in front of not just his wife, daughter, in-laws and cousins, but also two of his first youth soccer coaches with the old Nether United club in Nether Providence, Delaware County: Tor Hotham and John Waraksa.
Like so many people around American soccer, they circled this day in this soccer-mad city and decided they had to be there. The reward was beyond measure.
“To have them fly here, not knowing if I’m going to play or not, to come here and be here for this game where I actually make my World Cup debut, it’s just all meant to be,” Trusty said.
The Media native beamed with pride again when he reflected on finally reaching this moment at age 27, 11 years after going to an under-17 World Cup with Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Alejandro Zendejas, and Haji Wright.
“When you’re a little kid, dreaming about the stadiums you play in and the atmospheres and everything involved, to play in a home turf World Cup, get minutes, it’s a dream come true,” Trusty said.
Freese had his family in attendance too, plus his girlfriend’s family, and old friends from high school at Episcopal Academy. He shouted out one of the closest, Michael Hinkley, a soccer teammate back then who went on to play basketball at Dickinson.
Matt Freese (left) clearing the ball in front ofAustralia’s Mo Touré during the first half.Maddy Grassy
“Obviously incredible support,” Freese said. “It means a lot to play in front of them, and play in front of everyone in this country.”
That support fueled the U.S. team all day, with the stands full and roaring well before kickoff. Trusty said the atmosphere “gives you chills,” especially when the crowd sang The Star-Spangled Banner over the orchestral rendition on the speakers.
“The atmosphere is one of those things you dream of,” Freese said. “I’ve heard ‘the 12th man’ is what they call the crowd here. It was definitely a 12th man for us — I think it was a 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th man for us today.”
But things were getting dicey when Trusty and Joe Scally entered the game in the 80th minute as defensive reinforcements. Australia was gaining momentum even though it hadn’t scored, and an already physical game was getting even more fractious.
Auston Trusty (left) tussling with Australia’s Cristian Volpato.Lindsey Wasson
It got especially chippy in the last few minutes, but those two and the rest of the Americans kept their heads and finished the job. They did so at both ends, ensuring Australia didn’t score while also keeping a foot on the gas pedal in attack.
“Just keep the pressure up,” Trusty said. “They weren’t really pressing too much, they kind of had like a halfway-block [formation], and obviously in a back five [defensively], they want pressure on them. So just continue the press that we had and the movement we had, and really just keep momentum.”
Mission accomplished on all counts. Not only did the U.S. men qualify for the knockout rounds before the group stage finale against Turkey, but the program has two wins in one World Cup group stage for the first time since the inaugural tournament in 1930. And thanks to Turkey’s loss at the end of the night, the U.S. clinched first place with a game to spare.
“We came into the tournament wanting to make a statement,” Freese said. “The first part of that’s done, but, you know, there’s a lot more statements we want to make.”
SEATTLE — It turned out that the U.S. men’s soccer team didn’t need Christian Pulisic to beat Australia, and make history in doing so.
With the star playmaker unable to shake off a calf injury, the Americans used two first-half tallies and a raucous atmosphere in Seattle to earn a 2-0 win, before a packed-to-the-roof crowd of 66,925.
The win clinched qualification for the knockout rounds, and marked the first time since 1930 that the U.S. men’s program has won two games in a World Cup group stage.
U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino started Ricardo Pepi in the open lineup spot, leading to a tactical change. The Americans rolled out a 3-5-2 formation, with Pepi and Folarin Balogun paired up top.
It didn’t take long for that to pay off. In the 11th minute, Antonee Robinson sprung Balogun down the left flank. He ran almost to the end line, then laid a pass into an onrushing crowd that included Pepi, Sergiño Dest, and three Australian defenders. The ball hit one of them, Cameron Burgess, and pinged into the net.
The statisticians at TruMedia noted this marked the first time in World Cup history that one team benefited from own goals in consecutive games, following the opening tally of the U.S.’ win over Paraguay.
During the rest of the first half, the action was as physical as expected. Each team committed eight fouls in the period, and German referee Felix Zwayer left more potential ones uncalled. There were two yellow cards, for Jordan Bos’ tackle on Tyler Adams in the 16th minute, and Alessandro Circati’s hard hit on Malik Tillman in the 32nd.
The mood came to a boil in the 38th when Alex Freeman collided head-to-head with Paul Okon-Engstler, and both players stayed down for a while. Fortunately, neither had to leave the game.
The Americans got their second in the 43rd, and in controversial fashion. After Dest and Tillman combined to draw a foul on the right wing, Robinson served the free kick wide to Dest at the top of the 18-yard box. He ripped a shot that hit the crowd, flew up in the air, and Freeman jumped to head it past Matt Beach.
The controversy was that the flag was up for offside, and it sure looked at first like there was good reason. Balogun and Weston McKennie were indeed off when Dest shot. But Freeman wasn’t, and since Balogun didn’t touch the ball, the video review officials called it a good goal.
Australia manager Tony Popovic admitted how deep a hole his team was in by making three substitutions at halftime, including taking out Burgess. Another, replacing striker Mohamed Touré with Nestory Irankunda, raised the question of why Irankunda surprisingly hadn’t started.
Popovic had another complaint in the 63rd when Adams, who was risking a suspension for yellow card accumulation, knocked Connor Metcalfe over in the box off the ball and it went uncalled.
This was the start of the Socceroos gaining momentum, and Wayne’s Matt Freese was forced into his first proper save of the day in the 65th. A few seconds later, Chris Richards shoved Irankunda outside the box as Freese was charging off his line toward them, Zwayer didn’t blow his whistle, and Popovic was angry again.
Pochettino finally made his first substitution in the 74th, sending in Sebastian Berhalter for Pepi and taking the U.S. back to a one-striker setup.
Tyler Adams (left) and Weston McKennie (right) battling with Australia’s Nestory Irankunda during the second half.Lindsey Wasson
The crowd might have preferred hometown hero Cristian Roldan, and a lot of people wanted to see Adams taken off before picking up that feared second booking.
Instead, there were two other defensive substitutions in the 80th: Joe Scally for Dest and Media’s Auston Trusty for Robinson.
Tempers flared again in the 88th when Australia’s 6-foot-6 centerback Harry Souttar and Balogun got each other in mutual headlocks. There was a brief coming together of the teams, and both players were booked. Australia’s Jacob Italiano was also booked amid the scuffling.
As six minutes of stoppage time began, the crowd gave another hearty “USA!” chant. Then they had a brief laugh in the 93rd when Zwayer cramped up on the field, and needed some medical assistance. Players from both teams came over to lend a hand.
Pochettino then made two last substitutions, withdrawing Balogun for Haji Wright and McKennie for Gio Reyna.
IRVINE, Calif. — The first men’s soccer World Cup on U.S. soil in 32 years kicks off this week, with great anticipation in Philadelphia and nationwide. That’s true for the 26 players of the U.S. team, too, as they seek to make a lasting mark on the tournament and the sport.
Here’s what to know about each of the players whom manager Mauricio Pochettino picked for his squad. They’re listed by position, then in alphabetical order.
U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino.Jonathan Tannenwald
Goalkeepers
Chris Brady
Jersey number: 26 Age: 22 Club: Chicago Fire Hometown: Naperville, Ill. Height and weight: 6-foot-3, 170 pounds Senior national team games (Caps): 1
A clear and understandable third on the depth chart, he was picked to gain experience for what should be more trips to World Cups in the future.
Chris Brady (left) is on the team to get experience for the future.Jonathan Tannenwald
Matt Freese
Number: 24 Age: 27 Club: New York City FC Hometown: Wayne, Pa. Height and weight: 6-3, 194 Caps: 15
His rise through Harvard, the Union, New York FC, and now the national team might be the most underappreciated story of this U.S. squad. Freese made his senior U.S. debut last summer and immediately became Pochettino’s No. 1 netminder. Now, he seems on the cusp of starting at the World Cup, though the manager has repeatedly not committed to naming the starter in advance.
Matt Freese in the U.S. net when the Americans played Paraguay at Subaru Park last November.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Matt Turner
Number: 1 Age: 31 Club: New England Revolution Hometown: Park Ridge, N.J. Height/weight: 6-3, 185 Caps: 54
The starter from the last World Cup until the start of last summer, when the last of a few subpar performances cost him his spot. He’s been better than Freese statistically in MLS this year, but wasn’t as good with the national team in March.
Until a few days ago, we’d have listed him as an outside back who can also play centerback. But he did very well in a more central spot in the two pre-World Cup warmup games. Now, he might take the role again, especially early in the group stage as Chris Richards finishes rehabbing an injury.
Alex Freeman is the son of former Eagles and Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman.Jonathan Tannenwald
Mark McKenzie
Number: 22 Age: 27 Club: Toulouse, France Hometown: Bear, Del. (though born in the Bronx, N.Y.) Height/weight: 6-0, 183 Caps: 29
Talented, charismatic, humble, and owner of one of the best resumes of any U.S. defender. His path from the Union to Belgium’s Genk to a stalwart of France’s Ligue 1 is the ideal path for a player to follow. Though he’s prone to occasional big mistakes, he also does a lot to make up for them.
Mark McKenzie (center) is one of the best-performing U.S. defenders in Europe.Jonathan Tannenwald
Tim Ream
Number: 13 Age: 38 Club: Charlotte FC Hometown: St. Louis Height/weight: 6-1, 176 Caps: 82
He’s been the captain almost since the start of Pochettino’s tenure in late 2024. Age is catching up to him, but his role in the locker room is unquestioned. If Pochettino sticks with a 3-4-2-1 tactical formation, that will give Ream some cover for having slowed down.
Tim Ream’s experience made him manager Mauricio Pochettino’s choice for captain.Jonathan Tannenwald
Chris Richards
Number: 3 Age: 26 Club: Crystal Palace, England Hometown: Birmingham, Ala. Height/weight: 6-2, 192 Caps: 36
The most irreplaceable player on the back line, his absence from the warmup games due to torn ankle ligaments was crystal clear. He seems close to returning to action, but until he’s officially on the field, U.S. fans will be understandably worried.
It may be impolite to say he’s last on the depth chart at this position, but it’s true — and his performances in the warmup games didn’t help his case to change that. Facing Kai Havertz and Nicolas Jackson is a different level from MLS. If Robinson was picked as insurance against Richards having to withdraw, that’s understandable, but he was Pochettino’s most-criticized choice.
Eleven years ago, he was a fast-rising prospect in the Union and U.S. youth ranks. Only now, though, all this time and five clubs later, has he finally made it to the biggest stage. He still cherishes his Philly area roots, serving on the Union academy’s board.
He’s better as a left wingback in a 3-4-2-1 than as a left back in a 4-2-3-1, especially on defense. Other than that, he was an easy choice to be Antonee Robinson’s backup on that side of the field.
Simply put, a special talent. He’s a havoc-wreaking talent on the right flank, and can pitch in on the left if needed. Dest has also improved his defensive game lately. The 3-4-2-1 setup is perfect for unleashing him.
Sergiño Dest (left) is a dynamic force for the U.S. on the flank.Scott Kinser
Antonee Robinson
Number: 5 Age: 28 Club: Fulham, England Hometown: Liverpool, England Height/weight: 6-0, 152 Caps: 54
Not far from Richards on the irreplaceable ranking. Left back has long been the toughest position for the U.S. to find talent at, but Robinson has had it locked down for five years — at least when he’s healthy. He’s a big presence in the locker room, too.
Antonee Robinson is a key player on the field and in the locker room for the U.S.Jonathan Tannenwald
Joe Scally
Number: 23 Age: 23 Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach, Germany Hometown: Lake Grove, N.Y. Height/weight: 6-0, 174 Caps: 26
For a while, it seemed he wouldn’t make the cut, with Dest and Freeman ahead of him at right wingback. Then he did enough at club level down the stretch of the Bundesliga season to earn the call. It also helps that he can also step in at centerback or defensive midfielder if needed.
He’s officially listed on the roster as a forward, but could play attacking midfield or wingback — and he’s done all three over time. The last of them feels likely in a 3-4-2-1 setup, so that’s why he’s listed here for now. If Pochettino switches to a 4-2-3-1, Weah’s best fit is as a winger instead of an isolated right back. But while that’s for arguing over, his talent, creativity, and pedigree are unquestioned.
Tim Weah (left) is the son of Liberian soccer legend George Weah, but has now carved out his own career in the world’s game.Jonathan Tannenwald
Central/defensive midfielders
Tyler Adams
Number: 4 Age: 27 Club: Bournemouth, England Hometown: Wappingers Falls, N.Y. Height/weight: 5-9, 159 Caps: 54
No longer the official captain, but the unofficial one for years. On the field, on camera, and in the locker room, the U.S. doesn’t have a better leader. Unfortunately, as we’re about to get into, a lack of depth at this position puts him in a tricky spot. Can he avoid yellow cards in the first two games so he isn’t suspended for the big finale against Turkey’s stars?
Although Tyler Adams (left) isn’t officially the U.S. captain anymore, he remains one of the team’s biggest leaders.Jonathan Tannenwald
Sebastian Berhalter
Number: 14 Age: 25 Club: Vancouver Whitecaps Hometown: Columbus, Ohio (born in London, England) Height/weight: 5-9, 154 Caps: 13
He’s another unlikely success story, but the son of former U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter earned his spot. Sebastian helped the Vancouver Whitecaps reach last year’s MLS Cup and Concacaf Champions Cup finals, and with the national team combines hard work with great skill at set pieces. In fact, he might be the best at them on the roster. Could that earn him a starting spot next to Adams?
The veteran was so far out of Pochettino’s picture that he went on vacation at the start of the September FIFA window. Then the manager suddenly needed him, and Roldan answered the call. It immediately felt like he’d never left, and he hasn’t left since then.
It isn’t his fault that this is the end of the depth chart. Will Pochettino regret not bringing Tanner Tessmann or Aidan Morris, both of whose talents merited inclusion? World Cups have a habit of nailing managers on the biggest risk they take. Jürgen Klinsmann learned it the hard way by leaving Landon Donovan home in 2014, and Gregg Berhalter bet a lot on benching Gio Reyna in 2022.
Cristian Roldan (center) has been a familiar face to U.S. fans for years.Jonathan Tannenwald
Attacking midfielders
Brenden Aaronson
Number: 11 Age: 25 Club: Leeds United, England Hometown: Medford, N.J. Height/weight: 5-10, 150 Caps: 58
Making his second straight World Cup team makes him the standard-bearer for Philadelphia on soccer’s global stage. So does earning a stalwart role at one of England’s most historic clubs, even if the first priority has been just staying in the Premier League. He’s happy to embrace being a role model for everyone back home, and now has the added emotional boost of a new wedding ring.
He’s a near-lock as a starter, but where will he play? The obvious answer of on the field can’t be enough. Will he be an attacking midfielder, the role he probably fits best, but potentially exposing the lack of depth behind him? Or will Pochettino slot McKennie next to Adams to try to get another playmaker on the field, and hope it doesn’t unbalance things?
He isn’t officially Captain America, but he knows better than anyone that that’s his unofficial designation. It took much of his decade-long national team career to become comfortable in that spotlight, and it still doesn’t always fit him easily. But he also knows better than anyone that if he delivers when it counts at the World Cup, he can carry his country to greatness.
Christian Pulisic remains the biggest star on the U.S. men’s team.Jonathan Tannenwald
Gio Reyna
Number: 7 Age: 23 Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach, Germany Hometown: Bedford, N.Y. (born in Sunderland, England) Height/weight: 6-1, 174 Caps: 38
For all his talent — and it’s up there with Pulisic — he only just did enough for club and country to make this squad. If he comes off the bench as expected, he might not have much time in games to make an impact. There will be real pressure to deliver.
His raw talent isn’t in question. Whether he can show it at a World Cup might be. Pochettino clearly likes Tillman, giving him lots of playing time. But things don’t always work right when he and McKennie are on the field. If Berhalter goes next to Adams and McKennie starts, Tillman might be relegated to a supersub — and have to compete with all the other candidates for minutes.
Malik Tillman has a lot of skill, but we’ll see how he shows it in the World Cup.Jonathan Tannenwald
Alejandro Zendejas
Number: 26 Age: 28 Club: Club América, Mexico Hometown: Juárez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas Height/weight: 5-6, 146 Caps: 14
He gets two hometowns because he grew up on both sides of the border, carrying the dreams of being a child of immigrants. The world’s game opened doors, and he charged through them from FC Dallas’ youth academy to Mexico’s Club America. Add a mix of skill and graft on the field, and you get a popular pick for this team.
Alejandro Zendejas autographing a fan’s American flag during the U.S. team’s open practice a few days ago.Jonathan Tannenawld
Forwards
Folarin Balogun
Number: 20 Age: 24 Club: AS Monaco, France Hometown: London, England Height/weight: 5-10, 161 Caps: 27
He was recruited in 2023 with all the pomp of a college football team chasing a star quarterback. Though injuries since then limited his appearances, he has shown overall why U.S. Soccer was right to push for him. Now the biggest payoff moment of all has arrived.
The last and most controversial cut from the 2022 World Cup team, he has finally made it four years later. He put in a terrific amount of work in that time, including having to overcome a move from FC Dallas to Germany’s Augsburg that didn’t work out. But he was always strong with the national team, scoring big goals and hustling all over the field. Like Zendejas, a lot of U.S. fans will root for him in particular.
Ricardo Pepi (right) and Folarin Balogun (left) running together during a U.S. practice.Jonathan Tannenawld
Haji Wright
Number: 19 Age: 28 Club: Coventry City, England Hometown: Los Angeles Height/weight: 6-3, 174 Caps: 20
The last player to score a goal for the U.S. men at a World Cup, and the first formally listed as a striker to do so in 20 years. At club level, he was a key player for Coventry this season to help the Sky Blues earn promotion back to the Premier League after 25 years in lower leagues. Though he’s third on this U.S. depth chart, his size and speed should ensure he gets on the field.
