After Peru, the USMNT's youth is a reason for optimism.

The tired old conversation about the USMNT and US Soccer’s development pathway kicked back up in earnest this summer, as Belgium played the US off their “home” pitch in their round of 16 showdown. It was always a misplaced criticism. Development takes time, and the US have taken strides through both MLS and USL academy initiatives over the last decade, even if the ceiling has remained at the same height. 

The floor, however, has noticeably changed. 

Mauricio Pochettino is aiming to prove that thesis in his first post-World Cup window.

A full lineup of new players entered the picture, most developed at least in part by MLS/ECNL academies, and those players looked like they belonged in their first appearances against a veteran-heavy Peru lineup. Against Peru, Pochettino found time to debut Cavan Sullivan, Mathis Albert, and Adri Mehmeti, three teenagers who individually would have been the most hyped debuts since Gio Reyna if not for Cavan Sullivan’s Manchester City ties. 

Albert (17) has already made his Dortmund debut in the DFB Pokal this season, Mehmeti (17) has already played over 2000 minutes in a crucial role at the base of RBNY’s midfield, and Sullivan (16) has arrived as an elite MLS attacker over the 2nd half of the season, ranking in the top 20 of ASA’s goals added table – 6th in g+ since the World Cup break – and tied for the 5th most goal contributions.

The trio headlines a group that also features Diego Kochen – a 20 year old GK on loan from Barçelona – Orlando’s Justin Ellis, Crystal Palace’s Zavier Gozo, Philadelphia’s Frankie Westfield and Niel Pierre, RBNY’s Julian Hall, and New England’s Brooklyn Raines and Peyton Miller. 

In the past, those young players would have supplemented a roster filled with longtime USMNT veterans, but no one under 30 was called up to this cap, meaning that Alex Freeeman and Gio Reyna were the elder statesmen, led by 27 year old Tyler Adams… he's unc. 

A casual supporter might have been surprised by both the outcome and performance, but the result never felt in doubt. The US looked strong in possession against a Peru side that, admittedly, was open to defending most of the match. 

All of that youth –11 debuts overall – flew out of the gates to a 4-1 win over Peru Saturday in Orlando. Goals from Justin Ellis and Julian Hall were supplemented with a clinical Malik Tillman PK and a Seb Berhalter golazo. 

It’s a result that featured everything: 3 first-time starts, 11 debuts, 70% possession against a much more experienced Peru side.

It wasn’t perfect, obviously, but it’s an optimistic result given how casual observers spent all summer failing to adjust their priors about the US development pipeline following the loss to Belgium. The young lineup was tactically flexible, embracing Pochettino’s principles in transition as the group pushed a 2-3-5 into the attack. It may have asked for trouble against a side who won’t let the US take 70% possession, but it was a great performance for a group with renewed – and maybe unexpected? – optimism. 

It’s not a USMNT group that suddenly looks like a future World Cup contender, but it is a group that looks primed to move the standard forward and reset the idea that the US can’t develop possession-oriented footballers. I’ve been critical of Pochettino’s long-term vision in the past, but even if he isn’t the manager leading the US into 2030, he’s committed to the important groundwork. 

There will be a time when Pochettino has to make these pieces fit when Balogun, McKennie, and Pulisic, but for now, ignorance is bliss before they host Chile in St. Louis on Tuesday. 

The real test will be in how this group looks against Mexico next weekend when the pressure and intensity are at their highest. 

So, what does the USMNT have here?

Justin Ellis, Cavan Sullivan, and Peyton Miller:

The trio of teenage starters never looked out of place against the more experienced Peru side. Justin Ellis flicked Gio Reyna’s free kick to the back post to open the scoring. A beautiful moment for Ellis in his home stadium, and early reinforcement of Pochettino’s youth agenda. 

That youth would unfortunately be exposed on the back end when Peyton Miller was exposed at the back post by Gianluca Lapadula. The goal doesn’t entirely fall on Miller; Peru’s set-piece routine allowed Lapadula to find the inside shoulder of Miller – who has played primarily as a winger this season – and he easily rises to equalize. 

Fortunately for Miller, there was more good than bad in his game. He understood his role well as he pushed endline to endline, ending the night after he created the US’s only missed chance of the night and completed 36 of 37 passes.

Then there was Cavan Sullivan.

Sullivan looked to have instant chemistry in the midfield with Gio Reyna, while the movement with Justin Ellis showed promise. The difficulty for the attackers came from the fact that no one in the XI was used to leading the line. Ellis has been the assist guy to Antoine Griezmann’s goal-scoring clinic; he only trails Albert Rusnák in assists since the World Cup break. The ‘oops all 10s’ lineup caused some awkwardness in how Ellis timed his runs in transition and how the midfielders decided to fill into the space underneath him. He combined well with Reyna, Tillman, and Freeman to overload the right side, and was frenzied in his pressing against the ball. 

This was a good showing, but it wouldn’t be remembered as fondly if the US didn’t grab the lead moments after the trio was replaced by Zavier Gozo, Julian Hall, and Mathis Albert. Sullivan showed flashes, but it was also obvious that he understandably wasn’t playing completely within himself. Miller was great on the front foot but left moments to be desired defensively, again… understandable. Ellis may have raised his stock the highest in front of a manager who refuses to play with a traditional striker when Folarin Balogun isn’t available. 

The 2nd line.

The next trio of debutants made their way onto the pitch in the 61st minute, along with Jedi Robinson and Sebastian Berhalter. Mathis Albert is every bit the prospect that Cavan Sullivan and Adri Mehmeti are, and he showed why moments after he stepped onto the pitch to lead the line.

Albert quickly drew a penalty as he dropped his shoulder to stretch the Peruvian backline – I mean… probably a pen, right? 

Tillman easily converted, and the US completely took control of the match from there. 

Julian Hall tucked home a Sebastian Berhalter cross in the 72nd minute to make it 3-1 before the final round of subs stamped a dominant scoreline. 

Westfield and Raines debuted in the 77th minute, before Pierre and Mehmeti debuted in the 88th minute. Cameras caught a special moment as Adams hugged Mehmeti before his debut, one NYRB Academy product to another. 

Then, Berhalter’s banger from distance punctuated a controlled, dominant win.

Yes, it’s a Peru that is trending downward, but the important piece is that a lineup comprised of debutants and the program’s less heralded veterans outshot Peru 6-2 on target, completed 94% of its passes, and even outdueled the CONMEBOL side. 

That final point was one Pochettino reflected on post-match. The young players stepped up to the level, but it was the veteran leadership – the young veteran leadership – that opened the door. 

“I think they were so comfortable on the field,” Pochettino said. “But that is credit to the senior players because all the senior players were fantastic in the way that they welcome and the way that they support and the way that they guide in the last few days, the new players, and I think it’s a credit to the senior players.”

It’s fitting that Adams, Austin Trusty, and Alex Freeman can lead players who are traversing the pathways that forged their respective games. It’s a culture that the US has missed as the pathway has transformed through the MLS NEXT pathway’s maturity. As the primary development journey went from NCAA soccer to European academies, these commonalities were rare, but now that shared culture can build on itself. No longer do players need to leave for Europe at the first opportunity. As MLS’s overall quality rises, its hierarchy in the global transfer market has risen too.

No longer do players need to find a transfer to the Eredivisie or move to a German academy to attract interest from the Bundesliga, La Liga, or the Premier League. Those leagues are now buying straight from MLS.  

That only helps domestic players who now have impactful first-team minutes without needing a loan or other avenues for playing time. Niel Pierre spent the last month marking Luís Suarez, Lionel Messi, Kévin Denkey, and Anders Dryer. Cavan Sullivan has outshone players like Carles Gil, Hany Mukhtar, and Son Heung-Min. It should be no surprise that they can step into their first taste of senior international soccer and look the part. 

“They deserve a big credit from the first to the last one,” Pochettino finished. “I think from Monday, when we started to train, we started to perceive and to feel that good energy and good quality that all the players who arrive for the first time are showing us. I think start to feel that energy and the quality that they can add to our national team.”

Pochettino has an interesting test in this loaded international window tomorrow when the USMNT hosts Chile here in St. Louis. It will have to be a rotated squad as US Soccer has packed 4 matches into this window; the rotation will have a lot to say about who the manager views as the best XI with an eye towards the match against Mexico on Saturday.