The FIFA World Cup 2026™ is just around the corner and time is ticking before USA coach Mauricio Pochettino finalises his roster for the tournament. There is high expectation that the Argentinian tactician will look to several young players to provide a spark to an American team playing on home soil.
History suggests that at least one of the young pups on the USA squad will emerge bigger and brighter than ever. Dating back to Italia ’90, there has always been one up-and-coming USA player that has made a name for himself at the global finals.
FIFA goes back and looks at nine young USA players who enjoyed breakthrough performances on the big stage.
Tony Meola, Italia ’90
With his unmistakable free-flowing hair in the back, a fearless 21-year-old Meola served as the anchor in the USA goal, playing every minute of their first World Cup in 40 years. While he did concede eight goals in three matches, he was still applauded for his performance, marshalling his defenders like a battle-hardened veteran. Many expected USA to be on the wrong side of a lopsided scoreline against hosts Italy, but thanks in large part to Meola’s four saves, a young American side garnered the respect of their illustrious opponents in a narrow 1-0 defeat.
Meola would go on to become one of the most recognizable faces in US Soccer for years, serving as the No1 on home soil at USA 1994 and one of the main attractions in the inaugural season of Major League Soccer in 1996 with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars.
Cobi Jones, USA 1994
Another player who captured the imagination, Jones played with a joyful flair that was on full display at USA 1994. The 24-year-old’s role largely consisted of coming off the bench as an impact substitute for head coach Bora Milutinovic. After playing the final nine-plus minutes of the opening 1-1 draw against Switzerland, Jones came on midway through the second stanza to inject energy and pace into the USA attack in their final two group stage matches against Colombia and Romania.
Jones would then get the starting nod in the round of 16 encounter in Brazil, going the distance in a 1-0 loss to the eventual champions. Jones’ celebrated performance would earn him a move to England’s Coventry City and pave the way for a legendary national team career that resulted in a record 164 appearances.
Frankie Hejduk, France 1998
In what was a World Cup to forget for USA, Hejduk was one of the few bright spots on Steve Sampson’s squad. The 23-year-old Tampa Bay Mutiny winger appeared in all three USA matches, starting the final two, bringing some sorely needed verve to an attack that was kept under wraps in defeats to Germany, IR Iran and Yugoslavia.
The performances of the California-born flyer caught the attention of German heavyweights Bayer Leverkusen, who secured his services right after the tournament. Hejduk would go on to be an instrumental part of USA’s redemptive World Cup in 2002 when they reached the quarter-finals.
Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley, Korea/Japan 2002
It is impossible to not mention one without the other when it comes to Korea/Japan 2002. A pair of 20-year-olds in Donovan and Beasley were mature beyond their years in their maiden World Cup. Donovan scored two goals, including the dagger in the monumental 2-0 win over rivals Mexico in the round of 16, earning the Best Young Player Award.
Meanwhile, Beasley flew down the wings in USA’s three group stage matches, unfazed in their opener against giants Portugal which produced a shock 3-2 victory. Donovan cemented his legacy by becoming USA’s all-time top scorer in World Cups with five across three editions, while no USA player has played in more global showpieces than Beasley with four.
Clint Dempsey, Germany 2006
While it wasn’t the zero points from three matches like at Italia ’90 or France 1998, USA’s one-point display at Germany 2006 still ranks as a big disappointment. But one shining light to come from the defeats to Czech Republic and Ghana and the draw with eventual champions Italy was the play of Dempsey.
The 23-year-old New England Revolution forward was the only USA player to score in the tournament – the other goal coming against Italy via an own goal. The native Texan played in two matches, starting the finale against Ghana and was unafraid to take on the Ghanaian defenders 1 v 1, scoring to pull his side level 1-1 in what was ultimately a 2-1 defeat. Dempsey would go on to become the only USA player to score in three different World Cups and is USA’s joint all-time top scorer along with Donovan with 57 goals.
Michael Bradley, South Africa 2010
The 23-year-old Bradley had already started making noise in international football circles with his stellar performances the year prior in Concacaf qualifying, along with helping USA to the final of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, but things grew to a new level at South Africa 2010. The son of head coach Bob Bradley roamed the middle of the park for the Stars and Stripes, and then showed his scoring touch by notching the 2-2 equaliser in their second outing against Slovenia.
USA would reach the knockout round, narrowly falling 2-1 to Ghana in extra time, but Bradley’s sparkling national team career would continue. He was a mainstay for Jurgen Klinsmann’s team at Brazil 2014 and would finish with 151 appearances.
DeAndre Yedlin, Brazil 2014
At 20 years of age, Yedlin was the second-youngest USA player at Brazil 2014. The mere thought of Yedlin even making Klinsmann’s roster for the global finals would have seemed incredibly far fetched 12 months prior, but the right-back quick success with the Seattle Sounders paved the way for a World Cup spot. After not playing in the opener against Ghana, Yedlin’s ferocious pace proved pivotal in the second game against Portugal, as a speedy run down the flank set up a Dempsey goal in a 2-2 draw.
He was even better in the round of 16 extra time defeat to Belgium, replacing an injured Fabian Johnson just after the half-hour mark and generating scoring chances from the wing. His performance even drew praise from the likes of Rio Ferdinand. “Yedlin is a little bullet, great to see a full-back running forward and back with the same intensity.” Yedlin would go on to represent USA eight years later at Qatar 2022 as the squad’s only player with prior World Cup experience.
Yunus Musah, Qatar 2022
The 19-year-old midfielder played beyond his years for USA in Qatar, starting all four matches as the Stars and Stripes reached the knockout stage in their third successive World Cup. His biggest test came in the second match of the group stage when he locked horns with another teenager, Jude Bellingham of England. Musah kept the Three Lions dangerman under wraps, as USA pocketed a crucial point in a 0-0 draw. Musah showed great composure in the centre of the park, and his ability to break lines helped his side overcome IR Iran, 1-0, in their group finale.
