Paxten Aaronson, Cavan Sullivan, Cole Campbell and Diego Kochen - the top 13 American prospects to watch for Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT

GOAL ranks the top-13 USMNT prospects at or under the age of 21

America is always on the lookout for the next big homegrown soccer talent — and with good reason. The U.S. men’s national team continues to make meaningful strides, and sometimes all it takes is an influx of talent to reach the next level.

Landon Donovan was once that rising star, as were Clint Dempsey, Brian McBride, Tab Ramos, and Steve Cherundolo. Christian Pulisic, who was a highly-touted prospect, continues to defy expectations, and now, with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, a new generation is preparing to make its mark.

So who’s next? Which rising stars could play a role in this World Cup cycle, and which ones should fans be watching closely?

Paxten Aaronson, Jack McGlynn, Cavan Sullivan, Diego Luna, and Diego Kochen headline the list, thanks to their rapid development and growing reputations. Others like Damion Downs, Julian Hall, Noahkai Banks, and Josh Wynder may be less known, but they possess serious upside. In between, there’s Borussia Dortmund’s Cole Campbell, Inter Miami’s Benjamin Cremaschi — Lionel Messi’s young teammate — and Chelsea’s promising duo of Gabriel Slonina and Caleb Wiley, all pushing to take the next step.

GOAL ranks the top 13 American prospects between the ages of 15 and 21 — players on the verge of breaking into the professional spotlight, and possibly, the senior national team.

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13Josh Wynder, Benfica
Age: 20
Position: Centerback
The hype: Wynder, who has been a regular with Benfica's B team during the 2024-25 season, recently made his senior debut and is starting to develop into the player many touted him to be when he broke out in the USL Championship as a teenager with Louisville City. A well-known name at the U.S. youth level, he captained the U19 side when featuring for them, while earning a spot in the XI all throughout the 2023 U20 FIFA World Cup.
In the Benfica system, he's developing in one of the world's greatest academies and learning from some of the best youth coaching staff at the same time. With a brief taste of senior soccer in spring 2025, the best might just be around the corner for the towering defender. If he can permanently break into the senior team next year, there's no telling how fast his development could progress.

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12Julian Hall, New York Red Bulls
Age: 16
Position: Forward
The hype: Hall, similar to Sullivan, is a teenage prodigy at the MLS level. At 16, he's still a child, too - but he's mature beyond his years, and already breaking through with a New York Red Bulls side that made it to MLS Cup 2024. Already linked with some of Europe's top clubs - Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona and Chelsea, among others - he's being touted to have a brilliant professional career.
Elusive and technical on the ball, Hall has all of the skills needed to succeed at the highest of levels. He's featured at the U.S. youth level, and in 2025, already has eight appearances - including one start - in MLS regular season play. In 2024, he scored two goals and recorded one assist in 11 appearances for the Red Bulls as well.
He's no ordinary 16-year-old. U.S. Soccer fans should be so excited to see where he ends up.
AFP
11Jack McGlynn, Houston Dynamo
Age: 21
Position: Central midfield
The hype: A well-known commodity in MLS, McGlynn broke out internationally in January with the U.S., scoring a belter of an effort for his first international goal. He was traded from the Philadelphia Union to the Houston Dynamo ahead of the 2025 season for $3 million, and already has over 100 senior appearances at the MLS level.
A wicked left foot, McGlynn is known for being clinical from distance, while offering an attacking mindset in the middle of the pitch. He's a tall midfield presence at 6-foot tall, and U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino has already had him in camp - the future is bright, if McGlynn can take advantage of the moment.

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10Gabriel Slonina, Chelsea
Age: 20
Position: Goalkeeper
The hype: 'Gaga' Slonina was a star in MLS as a teenager, and as a result, earned a move to Premier League giants Chelsea. After a positive first season on loan in Belgium with Eupen, he was sent on loan to EFL League One side Barnsley to begin the 2024-25 season - where he thoroughly impressed at first. In the Carabao Cup, he earned Player of the Round honors early on, but suddenly fell out of favor as the holiday season neared - and then he suffered an injury, and returned to Chelsea in January. He's been rehabilitating since at Cobham.
Slonina is still one of the brightest goalkeepers in the U.S. pool, though, and he's already stated his goal is to be a part of the 2026 World Cup squad. A brilliant shotstopper with massive size in net, Slonina has been a professional since he was 17-years-old and has nearly 100 senior appearances in net already. He's represented the U.S. numerous times at the youth level and was part of the squad at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 2025-26 season will be his biggest test yet if he really wants to break out ahead of the World Cup.
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9Noahkai Banks, Augsburg
Age: 18
Position: Centerback
The hype: A U.S youth international, Banks broke through with the senior Augsburg team in the 2024-25 season, and had a really impressive spring at just 18 years old. He was put into the mix due to injury issues and earned six-straight appearances from the start of January into February. He fell out of favor as April rolled around, and then suffered a thigh injury that's held him out since. However, in the moments where he featured, he impressed.
Standing six-foot-three, he's a massive defender who can play with the ball at his feet, while offering some finesse on the pitch as well. He's creative, fast, and shows he has a lot of the tools to be a top defender for club and country. At just 18, he's got over 200 professional minutes in the German Bundesliga and is being touted to break out even further next season.
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8Damion Downs, FC Koln
Age: 20
Position: Striker
The hype: Downs has been one of the standout performers in the 2. Bundesliga during the 2024-25 season, scoring 10 goals and adding two assists while leading a strong promotion push to Germany’s top flight. Standing at six-foot-four, the imposing striker combines his physicality with surprising pace and sharp finishing. A dual national with Germany still in the mix, Downs was included on the USMNT’s preliminary Nations League roster in March — the first real sign that the U.S. might have a shot at securing his commitment.
If the U.S. can bring him into the fold, it would not only add valuable depth and competition to the striker pool but also allow the national team to integrate him into the system early. With two full seasons of professional experience already, he’s more than ready for that next step.
7Benjamin Cremaschi, Inter Miami
Age: 20
Position: Attacking midfield
The hype: Cremaschi, who has three appearances with the senior USMNT, was the youngest player included on the roster for the Paris Olympics last summer - a nod to his vast potential. He's a brilliant attacking midfielder who has immense size for somebody as elusive as he is. Playing alongside Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has touted him for an excellent career, while at the MLS level, he has excelled.
Creative with the ball at his feet, where he really stands out is with his awareness in the final third. He's quick with decision making, strong on the ball, and smart off it. It should be of no surprise to anyone if the 20-year-old is in Europe next season, with reports saying that the likes of Tottenham, Manchester City, Newcastle, and Brighton - among others - are all monitoring his progress.
He recently scored a game-winner for Miami against the Columbus Crew, highlighting just how special of a footballer he is with a fantastic diving header.
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6Cole Campbell, Borussia Dortmund
Age: 19
Position: Winger
The hype: Campbell is following the recent tradition of being an American teenager breaking into the senior team with the Black and Yellow. First it was Pulisic, then Gio Reyna, and now it's his turn. He's a believer in his talents, and he's shown at the youth levels he can contribute to the national team picture. Come the 2025-26 season, he needs a real breakout campaign after getting his first taste of senior soccer over the past year.
He made four appearances with the BVB senior team during the 2024-25 season, but with a handful of managerial changes throughout the campaign, he never found momentum with the coaching carousel. The majority of his minutes came with BVB II, where he scored two goals and notched one assist in 11 appearances in the 3. Bundesliga across 644 minutes. Next season should be more promising, if he can break into the XI.
AFP
5Diego Kochen, Barcelona
Age: 19
Position: Goalkeeper
The hype: Kochen is arguably the best goalkeeping talent the U.S. has seen since a young Tim Howard at Manchester United. Even then, there might be more to this shotstopper. Although he's yet to make his senior debut for Barcelona, he's been a regular on their bench all throughout the La Liga and European seasons in 2024-25. He's backed up both Andre Ter Stegen and Wojciech Szczęsny, and learned from two of the modern day greats while doing so.
A member of GOAL's NXGN top-50 list, Kochen has been praised at the Catalan club for his athleticism and ability to play with his feet as a goalkeeper. Standing at six-foot-two, the 19-year-old has all of the traits to become a top goalkeeper in Europe, and potentially, with the La Liga giants.
Already with two senior USMNT camp call-ups, Kochen might just be the next star between the posts for the USA.
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4Caleb Wiley, Watford (on loan from Chelsea)
Age: 20
Position: Left back
The hype: Wiley joined the Blues in the summer of 2024, and went on loan to sister-club Strasbourg in France last fall - but after a mix of injuries and inconsistent minutes - he returned in January. He's spent the spring on loan in the English Championship with Watford, where he earned a spot in the XI, making 10 appearances and recording one assist.
He excels on the ball in transition, and is a fullback who would really thrive in a back-three or back-five system. He brings a lot of attacking traits into the final-third with overlap play, but he's also a stout defender who defends well in 1v1 situations.
A teenage star in MLS with Atlanta United, Wiley as all the makings to be a Premier League-level defender with the London-based club, and internationally, with the USMNT.
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3Diego Luna, Real Salt Lake
Age: 21
Position: Winger/attacking midfield
The hype: Dubbed "Moon Boy," in MLS, Luna has had an emphatic 12 months that have seen him burst onto the scene for club and country. He recorded 20 goal-contributions in MLS last season, and earned call-ups in January and March with the USMNT. He broke his nose after recording a fantastic assist in the first half against Costa Rica in January, and in the March Nations League third-place game, recorded another assist in a fantastic showing.
A creative attacking midfielder who can also play in wide spaces, he's become a must-watch talent in MLS, and is being touted for a potential move abroad in summer 2025.
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2Cavan Sullivan, Philadelphia Union
Age: 15
Position: Winger/attacking midfield
The hype: There is nobody more exciting in U.S. Soccer that fits the mold of prospect than Sullivan at the moment. 15-year-old, the largest Homegrown deal in MLS history, and a clause that includes a transfer to Manchester City upon turning age 18. He recently made his first senior start for the Union, playing 120 minutes in the Open Cup, but has otherwise been a regular at the MLS NEXT Pro level and a rare sub in MLS regular season matches.
READ MORE:Evaluating Cavan Sullivan's 120 minutes in the Open Cup
He's technical, fast, and boasts the footballing traits of genuine adults.
The thing about Sullivan, though, is nobody knows what's next. He's 15 - he is still physically evolving along while developing his technical skill. Nobody has ANY idea if he will fulfill the potential that has been thrust on him - but that's what makes him exciting, at the same time. If there's one person who can surpass the hype of Freddy Adu, it's Sullivan. Hopefully, unlike Adu, the talent will eventually match the hype.
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1Paxten Aaronson, FC Utrecht (on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt)
Age: 21
Position: Attacking midfield/forward
The hype: Paxten is a serious player. Brother of Leeds star and senior U.S. midfielder Brenden, he has shown in the 2024-25 campaign while on loan at FC Utrecht in the Netherlands that he is capable of competing for a genuine starting spot with the U.S. ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He's played over 2,900 minutes across all competitions, scoring eight times while recording six assists, helping lead Utrecht to a confirmed top-three finish in the Eredivisie. He was also named to the EA SPORTS FC 25 Ultimate Team: Eredivisie Team of the Season for his heroics this season in the Dutch first division.
A breakout star for the U23 USMNT at the 2024 Olympic Games, Aaronson is ready for the next step, and it should be of zero surprise to anyone if he's legitimately starting games for the U.S. in summer 2025.