The U.S. men’s national team got their first real look at Noahkai Banks last fall. Fans, however, did not.
Banks was called into Mauricio Pochettino’s September camp but never saw the field, making the invitation less an unveiling and more an internal evaluation - a chance for the USMNT staff to assess him up close rather than introduce him to the public.
As the program enters a World Cup year, Banks remains uncapped, and perhaps the USMNT’s most intriguing dark horse: a center back whose role could shift from peripheral to essential in a matter of months.
In the months since he joined USMNT camp, Banks has broken out in a big way at Augsburg. He's established himself as a legitimate Bundesliga starter at just 19 years old, and it's a real accomplishment to be able to say that at that age. Playing that position in that league as a teenager is something few players can do. Banks, though, is keeping up with no problems, emerging as a vital piece of his club's present and future.
Where does Banks fit into the USMNT picture? That’s the question as the World Cup year unfolds. Every tournament produces a late riser - a player who forces his way into the roster after starting on the fringes. For months, the debate has been whether Banks could be that player. Now, the framing may be shifting: would it even be a surprise to see him in a USMNT shirt this summer?
