MLS Young Stars Making Case for USMNT World Cup Squad Under Pochettino | OneFootball

Recent MLS performances have put a new generation of American talent squarely on Mauricio Pochettino's radar. Unlike previous USMNT stars who developed in European academies, today's emerging players are products of MLS youth systems—and they're making compelling cases for World Cup inclusion.

The shift is striking. While Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund), Weston McKennie (Schalke 04), and Tim Weah (PSG) represent the European-developed generation, players like Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union), Julian Hall (New York Red Bulls), and Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake) showcase MLS's growing academy strength.

Real Salt Lake's Dynamic Duo

Zavier Gozo has emerged as Real Salt Lake's breakout star, stepping up when regular USMNT call-up Diego Luna started on the bench. In the recent victory over the Houston Dynamo, Gozo scored twice and dominated the match, bringing his season tally to six goals and three assists in just 13 games.

Luna, despite returning from injury, maintains his elite form with four goals and one assist in only 608 minutes. The attacking midfielder appears locked in for Pochettino's World Cup squad and remains Pablo Mastroeni's key creative force.

Sullivan's Breakthrough Moment

Philadelphia Union's Cavan Sullivan continues defying expectations after becoming MLS's youngest-ever debutant at 14. In the recent loss to Orlando City, Sullivan entered at halftime following Jovan Lukic's injury and completely shifted the game's momentum.

Sullivan scored his first MLS goal and orchestrated the Union's comeback attempt from a 3-1 deficit. Despite limited minutes, he leads the team in goal contributions alongside Milan Iloski, while topping charts for key passes and big chances created with fellow youngster Frankie Westfield.

Hall's Historic Hat-Trick

New York Red Bulls striker Julian Hall made MLS history by becoming the youngest player to score a hat-trick, securing victory over the Columbus Crew. The 18-year-old has emerged as the team's leading scorer despite competing with veterans Emil Forsberg and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

Hall currently challenges Lionel Messi for the MLS Golden Boot while attracting interest from Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and RB Leipzig. However, his international future remains uncertain due to his Polish ancestry and ongoing recruitment efforts from Poland's federation.

Under Michael Bradley's guidance, the Red Bulls maintain MLS's youngest squad at an average age of 24, integrating talents like Matthew Dos Santos (17) and Adri Mehmeti (17) alongside Hall.

As the 2026 World Cup approaches on home soil, these MLS-developed players are proving that American soccer's domestic pipeline can compete with European academy products for national team spots.