Breakout Youth Player in MLS / USL 2026

Has to be Celtic right? They only use Americans as central defenders

I also wonder what the point is of these youth WC's if they hold them at times none of the best players can participate. I mean really is there a point?

 

Maybe these youth WCs are the equivalent of the "Miss Congeniality" award?

 

Too bad GGG isn’t doing much for our YA or just Americans in general in his squad this year. Pulling Cupps back for what?

 

Some interesting names so far starting for MLS teams tonight in Leagues Cup:

MIA - FWD Daniel Pinter
NASH - CB Thomas Williams, CB Jack Maher, LB Reed Baker-Whiting
ORL - LB Bernardo Rhein Goncalves

Normal Starters for DAL and ORL
DAL - CM Christian Cappis, CB/LB Nolan Norris, RB Bernard Kamungo
ORL - ST Ellis

 

Guske was disappointing for me. He might be playing a wrong position, but surprisingly for DM he is good going forward and absolutely mediocre defender. Poor people Tessmann, not like I'm an admirer of original Tessmann. Klapija scores sometimes when someone creates for him. Most often he doesn't. Those chances that Contreras didn't take were eventually screwed up by Klapija. For me Swan, despite of his misses, looks more interesting.

 

Meh. I get it but doesn’t mean that GGG hasn’t done anything for American players since being in Chicago AFTER being USMNT national team coach. Chris Brady is the obvious one, but other than Andrew Gutman, name any other American who has benefitted from GGG being at Chicago.

 

Gutierrez, of course.

 

Both Ellis and Rhein looked good for Orlando in their win against Monterey. It is looking like Rhein might become OC’s starting LB if he keeps it up.

 

I personally never said that was his job, but this is a USMNT board and they recalled the best player on our U20 team…..for him to sit the bench and not play a minute. GGG has done a great job with the Fire, I’m just disappointed he hasn’t involved more Americans after being the coach, that’s all. It isn’t that deep.


Yes last night Oregel and Rogers finally got a start in what feels like forever (if not the first). Hopefully they get more opportunities going forward!

 

We know Berhalter's not adverse to playing youth; he capped more young guys and played the youngest teams in modern USMNT history.

I think Cupps is a bit of a challenge for him; the Fire have been a defensive disaster for years and even in his first year, his improvement was all on the offense and not the defensive side. He went and got more defenders and solidified that (and also dealt someone like Gutierrez, who was not a two way player).

However, I'm somewhat surprised their South African CB hasn't been dealt this window and I wonder if Cupps is back in prep for that. The guy did pretty well at the WC and has oodles of potential.

The Fire are also seemingly somewhat bare prospect wise. There's Cupps, there's Turdean in 2010 and a 2010 keeper, and there's no one else on US Soccer Collective's lists. That's not the bible here, but that's not great. That's just 3 players across 5 birth year Top 20s.

 

🔥🚨 Mbekezeli Mbokazi is "out for the year", according to Gregg Berhalter on @AppleTV. 🇿🇦❌#cf97 #vamosfire pic.twitter.com/L9SSg1E4uk

— Alex Calabrese (@amcalabrese12) August 6, 2026

Mbekezeli Mbokazi is out for the season, according to Gregg Berhalter.

Full story and details:https://t.co/DBDmtvRmBe

— Alex Calabrese (@amcalabrese12) August 7, 2026

 

Well, that absolutely explains Cupps coming back. I do expect him to get time once he's been back in camp more than a few days.

 

Philadelphia Union announced this morning that they have loaned forward Eddy Davis III to USL Championship side Loudoun United FC for the remainder of the 2026 season.

Eddy has scored five goals in 13 matches for Union II in 2026.

This is the right decision, in my opinion, as… pic.twitter.com/exzEmjVtMZ

— Kyle Almoney (@CoachAlmoney) August 7, 2026

 

Unfortunate for Jude Terry that he plays at LAFC. He’s stuck behind one of the best midfields in the league but every time he plays in spot minutes he looks very confident and tidy.

I also didn’t realize just how young he is. He’s still 17 for another 2 months

 

He's been around awhile and I also didn't realize he was that young. It's good he's starting to get minutes. Hopefully they keep increasing.

 

Turdean started and played 45 tonight before Gregg subbed him off. It was tactical more than anything about the performance IMO, which seems a rude thing to do on a debut.

It was my first time watching him. I thought he held up better athletically than I expected, given what I had heard. His ball skills are awesome. Fun to watch. He didn’t make much of an impact but also grew into the game and didn’t look much out of place.

He was more well-rounded than I thought. Worked hard on defense, better passer than I thought. I understand the athleticism concerns to becoming a big 5 player, but for MLS it should be adequate given the phenomenal technical skills (and general tactical skills, which are so mich more commonplace amongst our prospects than even 5 years ago).

I will say it was very odd watching Chicago with a player like this. I’m used to it always being Philly, RBNY, or Dallas.

 

Cavan Sullivan ('09) v Necaxa

60' 1G 1A#USMNT #DOOP #ManCity pic.twitter.com/awYHq33iXY

— why (@comp0us) August 10, 2026

Cavan goal and assist

 

🇺🇸🇲🇽 Sources: Chelsea is closing in on a deal to sign USYNT midfielder Vinny Garcia (16) from the LA Galaxy.

- Fee around $3m plus add-ons
- Garcia will join after he turns 18
- 3g/4a in LA Galaxy 2nd team this year

w/ @JordanC1107 @SJohnsonSporthttps://t.co/UhcxcUg3HB

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) August 10, 2026