ไทย
English
中國人
The September-October international window may well go down as one of the most significant in recent memory for the U.S. men's national team. A total of 13 players earned their first international caps across four fall wins under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, with many of them appearing set to take on prominent roles for the national side in the near future.
Having named an expanded 28-man roster last month, Pochettino may look to trim his squad for the upcoming November camp, while also favoring proven veterans like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie over untested youngsters given the high-stakes Concacaf Nations League matches. That said, Pochettino has never shied away from experimenting, and there are several uncapped players he may be eager to test out in the two-match series against Haiti.
Here, Sports Illustrated spotlights four currently uncapped American players who are excelling domestically and could find themselves on the USMNT's November roster.
4. Santiago Castañeda (Paderborn)
Two Bundesliga youngsters have already made their USMNT debuts this season—Mathis Albert and Cole Campbell—and the next in line could be Santiago Castañeda.
Castañeda departed his hometown of Tampa for Duisburg in 2023, registering two goals and three assists across 33 appearances. He then stepped up from the 3. Bundesliga to the 2. Bundesliga in 2024 with Paderborn, swiftly cementing himself as a key figure in midfield and playing a part in their promotion to the German top flight in 2026.
At just 21, Castañeda has displayed a remarkable level of maturity for Paderborn, emerging as a commanding presence in the center of the park, reading the game intelligently and distributing the ball with composure and accuracy. He is likely already on Pochettino's radar, and if he maintains this form, the Argentine manager may have little choice but to groom him as a backup to USMNT captain Tyler Adams in the holding midfield role.
3. Samuel Adeniran (LASK Linz)
The leading American scorer in Europe isn't Christian Pulisic (two goals), Folarin Balogun (zero), or Giovanni Reyna (two). That distinction belongs to Samuel Adeniran, who has amassed 10 goals and two assists in just 13 outings for Austrian club LASK Linz this season, including a stoppage-time winner against Celtic that secured their place in the UEFA Champions League main draw.
Adeniran's path to the top has been anything but conventional. Born in Houston to Nigerian parents, he left for Portugal at 18 before bouncing between Spain, Argentina, and Germany. He returned stateside in 2021, spending time at various USL Championship and MLS clubs, including the Philadelphia Union, Seattle Sounders, and St. Louis CITY SC.
Since returning to Europe in January 2025, however, Adeniran has found his best form with LASK, guiding them to a domestic double with 15 goals and five assists in 35 appearances last season. Now performing at the peak of his career at 28, he could be a surprise inclusion in next month's call-up.
2. Niko Tsakiris
The San Jose Earthquakes are making their return to the MLS Cup playoffs under Bruce Arena, and Niko Tsakiris has been a key architect of that postseason push.
Four years on from his MLS debut, Tsakiris has blossomed into one of the league's most creative forces, pacing San Jose in assists (eight) and chances created (54). Playing through central areas, he has excelled at controlling the tempo and picking out teammates with incisive passing.
At 21, Tsakiris is brimming with confidence, as evidenced by his bold dribbles under pressure and his exceptional left-footed trivela deliveries. He has already claimed gold and silver medals at the 2022 and 2024 Concacaf U-20 Championship—taking home the Golden Ball in the latter—and his senior USMNT debut feels like an inevitability.
• Why Is MLS Suddenly Producing So Many USMNT-Ready Teenage Talents?
1. Taha Habroune
The Columbus Crew were always going to face an uphill battle following the departure of arguably the greatest player in club history, Darlington Nagbe. Yet they have bounced back from a difficult start to climb into playoff contention, thanks in large part to the impact of Taha Habroune.
Habroune has steadily risen from a reserve role in 2024 to a rotational option in 2025 to an undisputed starter in 2026, tallying five goals and seven assists across 40 appearances to date. The 20-year-old midfielder blends Nagbe's technical assurance with a drive to advance the ball and contribute to attacking moves, topping the team in expected goals on target (5.1) and expected assists (5.4).
With Nagbe gone and André Gomes sidelined by injury, Habroune has stepped up as a crucial contributor through his composed passing and progressive ball-carrying. He leads Columbus in chances created (49) and big chances created (13), and the young talent shows every sign of continuing to grow.