Over the years, the United States have always been regarded as a powerful nation in every aspect apart from when it came to football or as the American’s say ‘Soccer’. However, in recent years USA have pumped a lot more money into grassroots football in order to get ready for the World Cup in 2026 that will be hosted by the USA and Mexico.
This has come to fruition as many young talents have started to emerge and now the national team is shaping up to be a very respectable side. With the likes of Messi, Suarez, Bale and many more superstars joining MLS teams over the years, supporters have gained a lot more interest. This has had a lot of traction for the younger generation, they are seeing the best of the best who they can aspire to be in the future.
Today, we dive into the top prospects that the US has to offer.
Cavan Sullivan
Starting at the top spot it’s the wonderkid Cavan Sullivan. Sitting at the grand old age of 14, the young star has broken into the first team at Philadelphia Union creating history as the youngest player ever to play in the MLS. Born on September 28, 2009, in Philadelphia, Sullivan —half German, half Bangladeshi is writing a story that could stretch far beyond the MLS.
We are witnessing very interesting conversations, is he too young? Will he burn out? Well, all the questions are valid however, if an elite club like Manchester City have already secured his services once he turns of age; they must see a really bright future for Sullivan.
MLS will be the perfect place for him to develop as it's not as physical as other leagues, meaning he can play his game without the constant worrying about injuries. They will still need to monitor him a lot although he will definitely be looking at this as a brilliant opportunity to play consistent football in a professional league at the age of 16.
The midfielder known for his small stature and incredible technical ability has all the potential to be a star at the next World Cup. Sullivan has incredible range of passing and for a small stature he can hit the ball with furious power. The US soccer fans have a promising future with this baller in the ranks.
Diego Kochen
The US have always been known for having brilliant goalkeepers with the likes of Tim Howard and Brad Friedel who have played at the highest levels. Right now, they have an up and coming goalkeeper in DIego Kochen who plays for Spanish giants Barcelona.
He is considered to be one of the most promising players of Barcelona B and is expected to make the leap to the first team in the near future, due to his great qualities, he could even inherit Marc-Andre ter Stegen's spot as he has come under a lot of scrutiny in the last few weeks. So it might not be in the distant future that we see Kochen being the starting pick between the sticks.
The U.S. youth player recently signed a long-term contract with Barcelona on March 19, until at least the end of the 2028 season. This shows huge trust by Barcalona who are known to bring the best talents in the world through from La Masia.
Kochen is a modern day goalkeeper who is calm under pressure and has excellent distribution. Also has brilliant agility, reflexes and technical concepts. He could improve in the aerial game, stretching and reaction times however, this will come over time as he is still very young.
Nimfasha Berchimas
Charlotte FC are still a very new club, even though it’s an incredibly difficult job to build a club from scratch, they have already been gifted with a wonderkid in the name of Nimfasha Berchimas. The 16 year old has already made numerous appearances in the MLS making him one of the youngest players in MLS history.
Known for his flair and dribbling skills many defenders would hate to come against the young US forward. He is also extremely quick and agile which makes it a nightmare for an opponent, he will drive at defenders non stop and hope to create chances for others and himself. Berchimas is still young so his decision making is yet to be perfected however, once he gained this many believe he could make it to the very top.
With the World Cup in sights, many believe Berchimas will be a big part of the US project. Charlotte FC will obviously find it very difficult to keep hold of the energetic winger however, if they can help him develop they will be part of the story of Nimfasha Berchimas.
America have much more talents than the three on show, they have a huge future and many believe they being serous contenders in major competitions is a matter of when that if for the US. It has been a long process to start delivering consistent top talents however, it is finally coming into gear just in time for the US World Cup.
