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10 years of NXGN: From Christian Pulisic to Ricardo Pepi to Gio Reyna, tracking the progress of American wonderkids

There is no shortage of American talent in the soccer sphere, with the United States now a well-established hub for top-tier footballers capable of playing at the highest levels worldwide. But ability is one thing. Having it all come together, in the right place, at the right time, with the right manager, at the right club, is another prospect entirely.

And in recent years, the United States has seen something of a mixed bag. Christian Pulisic, by some distance the most talent player of his generation, needed nearly five years and three clubs to find his best. Tim Weah and Gio Reyna - both fine footballers in their own right - have never quite enjoyed full seasons of success in accordance with what has been considered their potential.

Meanwhile, there have been some prospects that simply haven't panned out, such as the much-hyped but never-quite-reliable Konrad de la Fuente. And of course, there are some who are still far too young to tell - including Philadelphia Union gem Cavan Sullivan.

For 10 years, GOAL has produced NXGN lists to put a spotlight on the world's top teenage stars. Here's a look at the careers of some of the highly-touted American prospects over that span.

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    Christian Pulisic

    NXGN Year: 2017

    NXGN Position: 3

    Current club: ACMilan

    Where is he now? The only real debate surrounding Christian Pulisic is whether he's world-class. Certainly, the former Dortmund man has gone from strength to strength, recovering from a poor spell at Chelsea to establish himsefl as the main man for Milan. He broke out in the 2023-24 season under Stefano Pioli, and has only improved since then. He leads Milan in goal contributions this campaign, and his performances against Real Madrid and Inter have helped carry the Serie A side to some significant wins. For the USMNT, he is even better. A reliable goalscorer who consistently delivers in big moments, Pulisic is right in the conversation among the best Americans to ever kick a ball.

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  • Tim Weah USMNT vs JamaicaImagn

    Timothy Weah

    NXGN Year: 2019

    NXGN position: 17

    Current club: Juventus

    Where is he now? TimothyWeah's career has been a bit mixed. Of course, he was always going to be unfairly compared to his father, who became the first African to win the Ballon d'Or when he claimed the award in 1995. Weah hasn't hit those highs - and likely never will. Instead, he had been a solid player in a number of high-pressure environments without ever truly finding top form. Stints at PSG, Celtic and Lille yielded varying degrees of success. Juventus doesn't quite seem the best fit, either. Weah is a winger through and through, but has too often been used out of position, either as a right back or No. 9. His showings for the USMNT - when he is allowed to play out wide - prove that there is still very much a player here. And at 25, there remains plenty of room to grow.

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    Josh Sargent

    NXGN Year: 2019

    NXGN position: 34

    Current club: Norwich

    Where is he now? JoshSargent's quality is undeniable, but his level is yet to be determined. He impressed in spells as a teenager with Werder Bremen, but managed just 15 goals in 83 appearances for the club. He has fared better at Norwich, scoring in bunches in the English Championship, establishing himself as a top-tier striker in the second division. The Premier League was a level too high in 2021-22, with Sargent finding the net just twice in 26 appearances. There is talk of a transfer to a higher division - with a Premier League return rumored. It would seem to be the right time for the American to truly test himself, especially if he wants to be the USMNT's striker of the future.

  • Konrad de la FuenteGetty

    Konrad de la Fuente

    NXGN Year: 2020

    NXGN position: 39

    Current club: Lausanne-Sport

    Where is he now? From La Masia to the Swiss League, it's never quite worked out for Konrad De La Fuente. The hype was easy to understand, a technical and athletic winger from Miami electing to join the Barcelona Academy at 17. But it never came together for him in Catalonia, the U.S. youth national failing to make a La Liga appearance before leaving for Marseille in 2021. Since then, he's struggled for playing time, and has made just four starts for Lausanne-Sport this campaign.

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    Gio Reyna

    NXGN Year: 2021

    NXGN position: 3

    Current club: Borussia Dortmund

    Where is he now? What to make of Gio Reyna? There are few players more naturally talented to play for the USMNT, but consistency has proved elusive. He burst onto the scene for Dortmund in 2020, smartly following in the steps of Pulisic to establish himself in the Bundesliga. Promising performances for the USMNT followed. But a mixture of injury, off-field issues, and a disastrous loan move to Nottingham Forest brought his progress to a grinding halt. There have been some promising signs this season, with Reyna making a few starts, and becoming a reliable bench option for Dortmund. He is also back in the USMNT setup under Mauricio Pochettino. Still, it seems a move away could be what's required to get his career back on track.

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    Ricardo Pepi

    NXGN Year: 2022

    NXGN position: 10

    Current club: PSV

    Where is he now? Everything seems to be coming together for Ricardo Pepi, who has followed the likes of Chris Richards and Weston McKennie to establish himself as another elite talent out of the Texas area. A tall, strong No. 9 with deceptive pace, the youngster never really settled at Augsburg before being sent on loan to Groningen. He earned a move to PSV shortly after, and truly hit his stride at the start of the 2024-25 campaign. Pepi was banging in goals for fun for both club and country - with concrete interest from Premier League clubs only backing his level of play. A knee injury ended his campaign prematurely, but Pepi has shown just how good he can be.

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    Caden Clark

    NXGN Year: 2022

    NXGN position: 24

    Current club: CF Montreal

    Where is he now? CadenClark made the wrong move at the wrong time. A Red Bulls standout as a teenager, he opted to go overseas to RB Leipzig. And it never quite clicked for the young attacking midfielder. An MLS return, completed in 2024, helped him find some of his promise with Minnesota United. But he was often misused, a natural No. 10 deployed out wide or in the wrong areas. Now at Montreal, he has a chance to lead a young team in his preferred position. If he settles, the sky is still the limit.

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    Gaga Slonina

    NXGN Year: 2023

    NXGN position: 46

    Current club: Barnsley

    Where is he now? The only goalie on the 2023 list, Gaga Slonina seemed poised to be the next in a long line of famous goalkeeping talent to come out of the United States. But he's yet to make good on that promise. After being bought by Chelsea in 2022, he has since become a part of Todd Boehly's European-wide loan army, having stints at Belgian side Eupen and League One outfit Barnsley. Goalkeepers are admittedly hard to judge, and Slonina has never played with an elite defense in front of him. But a more permanent setting could be what the 20-year-old needs if he is to break into a U.S. setup currently light on goalkeeping talent.

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    Benjamin Cremaschi

    NXGN Year: 2024

    NXGN position: 48

    Current club: Inter Miami

    Where is he now? BenjaminCremaschi is an interesting talent on the verge of playing at a higher level. The jewel of Inter Miami's academy, the Argentine-American broke into the Herons' first team in 2023, and has remained there - or thereabouts - since. A hardworking center midfielder with a good eye for the goal, Cremaschi has started to hum in an industrious midfield that maximizes the otherwordly talent of Lionel Messi. There is a sense, though, that he might not be long for MLS, with his quality dictating a European move - and tidy sum for his club as a result.