Mauricio Pochettino wouldn’t have garnered the standing he has in the game if he didn’t give the kids a go.
The Argentine evolved from a hipster’s favorite to one of soccer’s finest managers, converting Tottenham Hotspur into Premier League title challengers and Champions League finalists.
His first three Spurs teams, from 2014–15 to 2016–17, all boasted the youngest average age in the English top flight. During this period, the Lilywhites reached the League Cup final, finished third in a two-horse race, then accumulated their record Premier League points haul (86)—all while enjoying an unbeaten final season at White Hart Lane.
The stars were in their early 20s, maturing rapidly with Pochettino by their side. Harry Kane would not be a 2026 Ballon d’Or favorite had he not enjoyed the Argentine’s gentle touch during his formative years.
And now it’s the turn of the USMNT to benefit from that emboldening of youth. U.S. Soccer is in a buoyant mood after an impressive World Cup on home soil, and Pochettino is trying to ensure their positive momentum is sustained.
Pochettino, as he did with Spurs almost a decade ago, is giving the kids a chance during a merged September-October break, and they’re delivering on the senior stage. In fact, records are tumbling, with a new youngest goalscorer in team history emerging.
10. Ricardo Pepi
Age: 18 years and 242 days
Date: Sept. 8, 2021
Opponent: Honduras
The Texan striker of Mexican descent had to make a difficult decision regarding his international commitment before ultimately opting for the USMNT.
After an excellent final season with FC Dallas, Pepi ventured across the Atlantic to compete in Europe’s premier divisions. He was named on Gregg Berhalter’s roster for the first time in August 2021 and wasted little time making an impact for the senior team.
9. Landon Donovan
Age: 18 years and 234 days
Date: Oct. 24, 2000
Opponent: Mexico
Landon Donovan would end a 14-year career with the USMNT as its joint-leading scorer. He and Clint Dempsey both called it quits with 57 goals.
Donovan is one of the finest soccer players the U.S. has produced, and it all began at the start of the Millennium. Tipped for stardom after excelling at the U-17 World Championships in 1997 and the Sydney Olympics, Donovan made his senior debut in October 2000 off the bench against neighbours and arch-rivals Mexico.
Donovan replaced the injured Chris Henderson after 32 minutes and opened the scoring at the start of the second half. He then combined with Clint Mathis for the USMNT’s second goal in a 2–0 victory played in front of more than 60,000 at Los Angeles’ Memorial Coliseum.
8. Julian Hall
Age: 18 years and 186 days
Date: Sept. 26, 2026
Opponent: Peru
Pochettino couldn’t hide his pride after eight teenagers made their debut in the USMNT’s 4–1 victory over Peru at the start of the extended September-October break in 2026.
Cavan Sullivan has garnered much of the attention, but the performances of other American starlets forced Sullivan to share the spotlight.
Among the brightest was 18-year-old Julian Hall, who earned an All-Star selection during his breakout year with Red Bull New York. Hall sparkled off the bench, scoring and assisting on debut, before becoming the youngest player in USMNT history to score in back-to-back games when he found the net in the 4–2 defeat of Chile days later.
7. Josh Sargent
Age: 18 years and 97 days
Date: May 28, 2018
Opponent: Bolivia
Before he became an East Anglian cult hero at Norwich City, Josh Sargent dominated at youth level for the USMNT and looked set to become the nation’s next sharpshooter in front of goal.
The ginger-haired forward quickly took to the international stage, scoring on debut against Bolivia after receiving his first call-up in November 2017.
After five years at Carrow Road, Sargent is back in Major League Soccer (MLS) with Toronto FC, but he remains out of Pochettino’s plans. He hasn’t scored a goal for his country since 2019.
6. Timothy Weah
Age: 18 years and 95 days
Date: May 28, 2018
Opponent: Bolivia
Sargent was the USMNT’s fourth-youngest goalscorer for just seven minutes. The forward was quickly usurped by Timothy Weah, just two days Sargent’s junior.
Weah, son of the great striker George, scored on his full international debut. While he hasn’t developed into a prolific forward like his dad, his versatility has rendered Timothy a manager’s dream.
He’s earned more than 50 caps, but scored just six more times since his strike against Bolivia.
5. Jozy Altidore
Age: 18 years and 92 days
Date: Feb. 6, 2008
Opponent: Mexico
Like Donovan, Jozy Altidore opened his account for the USMNT as an 18-year-old against bitter foe Mexico.
Altidore, who’d take his talents to Spain, England, Türkiye and the Netherlands during an underwhelming career in Europe, fiercely headed home from Drew Moor’s cross in a 2–2 draw with El Tri.
It was the first of 42 goals he scored for the national team—the third-most in USMNT history.
Altidore appeared at two World Cups and became the 17th American to notch 100 international caps in 2017, eventually ending with 115 after a 12-year career.
4. Giovanni Reyna
Age: 18 years and 3 days
Date: Nov. 16, 2026
Opponent: Panama
Giovanni Reyna made quite a name for himself during that ominous time in the build-up to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Playing for Borussia Dortmund, Reyna had become the youngest goalscorer in DFB-Pokal history and the third-youngest player to appear in the Champions League knockout stages.
Mercurially talented, the playmaker seemed destined to develop into one of the USMNT’s best, but there’s a nagging sense of unfulfillment regarding Reyna’s career to date.
It all started so promisingly, scoring wonderfully from a set piece on his second cap after just celebrating his 18th birthday. Since then, though, Reyna has alienated, polarized and been entrenched in scandal. While some continue to back his talent, others have washed their hands of him.
3. Juan Agudelo
Age: 17 years and 359 days
Date: Nov. 17, 2010
Opponent: South Africa
Tim Ream recently announced his retirement from international soccer after 16 years, having made his debut in a 1–0 friendly victory over South Africa on Nov. 17, 2010.
The match-winner that day? Fellow debutant (and 17-year-old) Juan Agudelo.
When he thumped an effort home via the underside of the crossbar, Agudelo became the youngest goalscorer in USMNT history.
However, the record-breaker would have just one more moment in the sun, scoring against Argentina the following year. That was his third and final goal for his country, with his career eventually drifting into the wilderness.
2. Christian Pulisic
Age: 17 years and 253 days
Date: May 28, 2016
Opponent: Bolivia
This is the origin story of “Captain America.”
Christian Pulisic had seemingly been heralded as U.S. Soccer’s saviour since birth. The Hershey-raised star was nurtured by Borussia Dortmund during his developmental years, garnering plenty of excitement back home.
There was an exoticism about Pulisic that rendered him captivating, and it was established early on in his USMNT career that he’d be the man a nation would rally behind.
His senior experience at Dortmund was minimal when Jürgen Klinsmann called him up to the USMNT for the first time in March 2016. He subsequently became its youngest appearance-maker in a World Cup qualifier. Then in May, Pulisic rounded off the scoring late on in a 4–0 drubbing of Bolivia.
1. Mathis Albert
