U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino, who was named head coach on Sept. 10, has named 25 players to his first training camp roster, including five former Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer players.
Christian Pulisic, Brenden Aaronson, Mark McKenzie, Zack Steffen and Auston Trusty will represent Eastern Pennsylvania on the international stage, representing the strength and success of the region’s youth soccer system.
Pulisic, a Hershey, Pa. native, has become a household name in American soccer. From his early days at PA Classics to captaining the national team, Pulisic looks to add to his impressive 73 caps and 31 international goals.
Aaronson, while originally from Medford, New Jersey, developed his skills at the Philadelphia Union Academy, where he played alongside McKenzie, who was born in Bear, Del. The former Union teammates have collectively earned over 55 caps for the national team.
Philadelphia-area natives Steffen and Trusty have both made their marks on the national stage. Steffen, from Coatsville, Pa., will be in pursuit of his 30th cap with the USMNT team. His journey began with local clubs West Chester United and FC Delco, where he developed into one of the country’s top goalkeepers. Trusty, originally from Media, Pa., grew up playing for Nether United and the Eastern Pennsylvania Olympic Development team before joining the Philadelphia Union, developing into a reliable and versatile defender.
Pulisic, Aaronson, McKenzie, Steffen, Trusty and the rest of the national team will face Panama in Austin, Texas on Oct. 12 in Pochettino’s U.S. coaching debut. The U.S. will then face Mexico in Guadalajara on Oct. 15.
Eastern Pennsylvania is immensely proud to see its former players representing the nation. Pulisic, Aaronson, McKenzie, Steffen and Trusty all have deep ties to the region’s soccer community, where their skills and talents were grown from a young age.
Eastern Pennsylvania is dedicated to fostering a love for the game and developing top-tier talent. The success of these former athletes on the international stage is a testament to the strength of youth soccer in Eastern Pennsylvania.
U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM – OCTOBER TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS (4): Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City/WAL; 9/0), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 2/0), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids; 29/0), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace/ENG; 45/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege; 1/0), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo/ITA; 5/0), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA; 14/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 62/1), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 46/4), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 29/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach/GER; 12/0), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 2/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 44/8), Gianluca Busio (Venezia/ITA; 13/1), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis/ESP; 17/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 56/11), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough/ENG; 7/0), Yunus Musah (AC Milan/ITA; 41/0), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 14/0)
FORWARDS (6): Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA; 17/5), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven; 30/10), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 73/31), Josh Sargent (Norwich City/ENG; 25/5), Timothy Weah (Juventus/ITA; 41/6), Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG; 13/4)