Last fall, Mauricio Pochettino seemed to be set. After numerous introductions, adjustments, elevations and demotions, his 26-man USMNT squad for this summer’s World Cup had taken shape, and a late surprise inclusion seemed totally out of the realm of possibility.
Not so fast. At that same time, Noahkai Banks became a starter along FC Augsburg’s backline and he hasn’t ceded that spot over the ensuing five months. Today, it seems that if any as-yet-uncapped field player is going to crack the US squad this summer, it’s almost certain to be Banks, 19 years old and suddenly among the most promising young defenders in Europe.
