When manager Mauricio Pochettino said he wanted a “new start, a fresh start” for the U.S. men’s national team in the wake of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, perhaps no one expected that he would take such drastic measures to achieve it.
After all, the Stars and Stripes enjoyed a dreamy run this summer on home soil, even if it ended rather nightmarishly, with a 4–1 thrashing to Belgium in the round of 16. Perhaps it was that fateful Tuesday that convinced Pochettino there is still much work to be done.
The Argentine boss has completely overhauled his roster for the upcoming September–October international camp, a squad less than half of which is comprised of players that actually competed for him in the World Cup a few months ago (13).
Twelve have earned their very first senior call ups, eight of whom are merely teenagers. They will be tasked with leading the charge in the four fall friendlies against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada—and eventually, the 2030 World Cup, should all go to Pochettino’s enterprising plan.
“It’s exciting to have ... the new players in this roster to try to be sure that they can express their potential, their real potential,” Pochettino said after his roster announcement.
Who exactly are these fresh faces taking over the USMNT? Considering they could be here to stay, it may be worthwhile getting to know them.
Meet the USMNT’s 12 Newcomers
1. Mathis Albert
Seventeen-year-old Mathis Albert is a midfielder for Borussia Dortmund, and he’s making a name for himself in Germany. This spring, he became the youngest American ever to play in the Bundesliga, breaking the record previously set by USMNT star Gio Reyna and pushing U.S. Soccer legend Christian Pulisic to third on the list.
Albert has struggled for minutes in Dortmund’s new season, but he’s gaining Champions League experience, which not many teenagers can say.
2. Cole Campbell
Another American in Germany, Cole Campbell is a winger for Bundesliga club SV Elversberg. The 20-year-old is a consistent starter on the left flank and scored his first goal of the season against USMNT star Malik Tillman’s Bayer Leverkusen last month.
3. Justin Ellis
Justin Ellis is an exciting name in MLS right now. The 19-year-old forward rose from the ranks of Orlando City’s reserve team earlier this season and has since established himself as a key piece of the Lions’ senior attack. Now a regular starter, he has accumulated three goals and 11 assists across all competitions.
4. Zavier Gozo
It’s been quite the year for Zavier Gozo. The 19-year-old winger started the MLS season with Real Salt Lake, where he racked up six goals and five assists by summer and received an MLS All-Star nod. He then earned a blockbuster move to Crystal Palace worth a whopping $15 million.
The teenager is now learning from the very best in the English Premier League, no one more significantly than Palace teammate and USMNT star center back Chris Richards, who will also be competing in the fall window.
5. Julian Hall
Eighteen-year-old striker Julian Hall is pegged to be the USMNT’s goal-scoring future. Playing under former USMNT captain Michael Bradley at Red Bull New York, Hall is learning from the very best in American soccer and thriving because of it.
He has become a consistent starter for the MLS side, scoring 13 goals across all competitions thus far this season, including three against Columbus Crew in May to become the youngest player in MLS history to score a hat-trick.
6. Adri Mehmeti
Hall’s teammate, Adri Mehmeti, also received Pochettino’s call. The 17-year-old midfielder has become accustomed to pulling the Red Bulls’ strings, and he’s quite good at it. He has one goal and five assists thus far this season.
7. Peyton Miller
Eighteen-year-old Peyton Miller is a versatile and highly-reliable star for the red-hot New England Revolution. Similar to USMNT star Sergiño Dest, he can play anywhere along the flanks, on the right or left side of the field.
He has shined as a starting winger for the New England Revolution as of late, racking up seven goals and four assists.
8. Neil Pierre
The USMNT left the World Cup needing to shore up its defense, especially with the impending retirement of 38-year-old Tim Ream. That means it’s the perfect time for 18-year-old Neil Pierre to stake his claim to the backline.
The towering 6'5" defender rejoined the Union this summer after a loan spell with Danish side Lyngby and has been at the foundation of the MLS club’s resurgence. The Union are undefeated in the last 11 league matches since Pierre’s return.
His height denotes his ability to win balls easily in the air. Pierre is also a lethal aggressor on set pieces and crosses, scoring four goals already this season.
9. Brooklyn Raines
Another New England Revolution man, 21-year-old Brooklyn Raines is a stalwart in the team’s central midfield, known for his creative vision and dynamic off-the-ball movements.
After starring at the 2025 U-20 World Cup, he was named a finalist for 2025 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year.
10. Brian Schwake
Nashville SC’s goalkeeper Brian Schwake is a big reason for the club’s unparalleled success this season. The club sits first in the league with 57 points, eight more than the next team in either conference (the Vancouver Whitecaps). Nashville are considered a shoo-in for the Supporters’ Shield, a reality made possible through the team’s mere three losses this season and Schwake’s 12 clean sheets.
Schwake, named a 2026 MLS All-Star, leads the league’s goalkeepers in save percentage (76.1%), per FBref stats.
The 25-year-old is expected to contend for the starting USMNT goalkeeper position, especially in the wake of Matt Freese’s uneven World Cup performance.
11. Frankie Westfield
Twenty-year-old Francis “Frankie” Westfield is a right back for the Philadelphia Union, a consistent starter beside Pierre in the backline. Westfield is known for his enterprising ability to get in on the attack and break lines. He employs his speed to break past players before dishing a pinpoint cross or lofted ball overhead. Westfield has raced up three assists in the last two league matches.
12. Cavan Sullivan
The “It” boy.
Sixteen-year-old Cavan Sullivan is by far the most exciting newcomer for American fans. He is not only the youngest player included in Pochettino’s roster (and should he take the pitch, he will be the USMNT’s youngest debutant since Freddy Adu in 2006), but he is already one of the best players in all of MLS.
Since earning a consistent starting role for the Philadelphia Union this summer, the midfielder has been an unstoppable force, racking up seven goals and nine assists since mid-August and 10 goal contributions in the last five games alone. He has the silky foot skills, work ethic and charisma of a true star in the making, and everyone is expecting him to command the Stars and Stripes in four years’ time.
READ THE LATEST USMNT NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FC
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