Pochettino Calls Up Youth Wave for USMNT
AI-generated image · US National Wire
Mauricio Pochettino has summoned 13 players who have yet to debut, including 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan, for the upcoming Fifa window.
Mauricio Pochettino is integrating a new generation of talent into the United States men’s national team, calling up 13 players who have not yet made their debuts, as The Guardian first reported. The group is headlined by 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan.
The newcomers include several prospects from the Philadelphia Union. Defender Frankie Westfield, 20, has emerged as a preferred starter for Philadelphia; The Guardian reports he ranks in the 98th percentile of MLS full-backs for crosses per 90 and is among the top four players in the league for progressive passing, trailing only Carles Gil, Joaquin Pereyra, and Lionel Messi.
Also from the Union is 18-year-old defender Neil Pierre. Standing 6ft 7in, Pierre has become a set-piece scoring threat and a proactive passer, with 38% of his distribution going upfield, per The Guardian.
In goal, the squad features 20-year-old Diego Kochen, currently on loan from Barcelona to Lyngby in the Danish Superliga, and 25-year-old Brian Schwake of Nashville SC. The Guardian notes that Schwake has helped lead Nashville to the best record in MLS this season, allowing 0.81 goals per game on average.
Other potential debutants mentioned by The Guardian for this window include Crystal Palace's Zavier Gozo and Red Bull New York’s Julian Hall.