Tag: Jonathan Gómez

The top young USMNT players and prospects in 2023

The stars of today and tomorrow are ready to lead the USMNT to a bright future

The U.S. men’s national team should have a bright future ahead.

With one of the youngest teams at the World Cup, the USMNT got out of its group and qualified for the last 16 in Qatar — a substantial achievement after missing the 2018 tournament entirely.

Now the focus shifts to the main event: the 2026 World Cup on home soil.

Several of the 2022 roster’s best young players should be back and right in their prime in 2026, and they should be joined by a host of younger players just starting to make their way in the game now.

Below are some of the USMNT’s best young players. For the purposes of this list, the player must be born in 2003 or later.

USMNT prospects: Aaronson breaking through in MLS, Fletcher scoring in USL

While Brenden Aaronson is turning heads in the Premier League, his younger brother, Paxten, is breaking through in MLS

U.S. fans are understandably abuzz projecting the 2022 World Cup roster and debating the best hypothetical XI for Qatar. But there are reasons beyond the upcoming World Cup to get excited about the USMNT’s future.

After the World Cup, the U.S. will compete in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia, followed by the 2024 Summer Olympics in France.

The 2022 World Cup is — of course — the most notable tournament, and it’s on deck first. But we can’t help but look ahead to the next generation, so we’ve started a series tracking USMNT prospects to watch.

Here’s our first installment of sporadic check-ins with some of American soccer’s up-and-coming prospects for 2023 and beyond.