The US men's national team roster for the 2026 World Cup will be unveiled on Tuesday, and head coach Mauricio Pochettino has highlighted a talent deficit. After a 2-0 loss to Portugal and a 5-2 defeat to Belgium, Pochettino stated, "We are USA. And we are competing against Belgium, Portugal. I think for sure Belgium and Portugal have in the top 100 players, few or some players playing in that top 100. I think we don't have [that]." While some argue a few US players could crack that list, there is no critical mass near the top. The Guardian spoke with several current and former coaches, academy directors, and executives about why.
Catching up
There is agreement that the player pool is improving. Real Salt Lake manager and former USMNT midfielder Pablo Mastroeni said, "I think we're getting close to being a league or a country that produces a top-50 player." Former USMNT midfielder Tab Ramos noted, "I think there's no question that every year there's more and more good players. Are there more exceptional players? That's what everybody's looking for." San Jose Earthquakes academy director Luchi Gonzalez added, "We've got players in the top 200 maybe, or top 300, so we've made progress but it's slow progress." The challenge is that the US is chasing a constantly moving target. Former US Soccer president Sunil Gulati said, "It's not a time trial, and to show improvement, you've got to be accelerating faster than other players." Former USMNT manager Bob Bradley emphasized, "When you're stacking up players against the best in the world, we're still playing catch up."
MLS development
The US has only had a functional men's league for 30 years. MLS has recently prioritized player development through its Development Academy (2007-2020) and MLS Next (launched 2020), now with over 260 clubs. In 2022, MLS launched Next Pro, its own lower division. Gulati noted, "MLS, when it started, wasn't really in a position to do that. That's changed dramatically." Ramos, MLS's first signing, said, "We couldn't necessarily ask any more of MLS. At the top level, I think we've accomplished a lot more than likely we thought we could."
Culture
Ramos, who immigrated from Uruguay at age 11, said, "We just don't have a soccer culture in this country. In the last 30 years, that hasn't really improved that much." He highlighted how high school football draws more community support. Mastroeni marvelled at the athleticism of the French national team. Gonzalez believes if all male youth athletes were funneled to soccer, the US would have at least 10 players in the top 50. But he cautioned, "It's the culture of the game. Even good talent, they're not in survival mode, it's not their dream to play in a Champions League." Still, he is optimistic the US will produce multiple top-20 players in his lifetime. Red Bull New York academy director Sean McCafferty has "no doubt" an American will be top-50 soon. Ramos thinks a top 20-30 player "could come anytime" but organically, not through initiatives.
Youth soccer
Bradley emphasized early exposure: "How many kids grow up in a house where the ball is there? To develop a passion, to make sure the foundation for being good with the ball is all there." The best prospects—Pulisic, Reyna, Sullivan—had parents who played at a high level. Gonzalez pointed to Denmark's publicly funded grassroots programs. "In an ideal world, I would create a grassroots program that works with the youngest players the right way, like in Spain and Portugal," he said. "So what we get are deficient players at U-14. Really good players, but they're not going to be world-class." He also noted the competitive mentality in Uruguay, Argentina, and Mexico. The pay-to-play model persists, but MLS Next clubs must have scholarship frameworks. MLS Next Pro president Ali Curtis stressed the need to reach "all neighborhoods." Brooklyn FC head coach Marlon LeBlanc called the notion that youth soccer is broken "really uneducated and alarmist." He said, "I do believe that it's better than what it was five years ago, 10 years ago, and 30 years ago."
The jump to the pros
LeBlanc highlighted the final hurdle: first-team minutes. Most top-50 players are attackers, but young American attackers in MLS often face blocked pathways due to big-name signings. "How often do you see a No 10 that's an American? How often do you see a No 9?" he asked. He acknowledged progress with players like Red Bulls' Julian Hall and Orlando's Justin Ellis, but noted European teenagers like Lamine Yamal get earlier opportunities. McCafferty argued that starting in MLS can be beneficial: "These young players can play in stadiums with tens of thousands of people, real pressure. Whereas if they're at a club in Europe where he's playing in front of two men and a dog, that doesn't develop you." Red Bull New York and Real Salt Lake are leading the youth movement. Gonzalez noted FC Dallas generated $40-45 million in transfers from academy products in three years. Mastroeni said, "I think our league was always about trying to prove that we were good enough. Now we're comfortable with who we are." McCafferty concluded, "We are in the infancy stages of this."
