Meet the USMNT's next generation: Cavan Sullivan, Malik Tillman and more up-and-coming players to know
Meet the USMNT’s next generation: Cavan Sullivan, Malik Tillman and more up-and-coming players to know originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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>While the USMNT gave fans a near-blissful couple of weeks before their imminent demise, fans saw what could be the last glimpses of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tyler Adams’ prime. That trio will be north of age 30 at the time of the 2030 World Cup, so a new generation will be sought after for Team USA.
For fans left scratching their heads because Pulisic is all they know for U.S. soccer stardom, there is an ample amount of talent rising through the ranks, both inside and outside of European club soccer.
It’s never too early to begin studying up on soccer talent, as the sport will look to be on the rise, per usual, around World Cup season. While some players may need more time to develop before strong performances are expected at the 2030 World Cup, other Americans on this list should be ready to rise to the occasion.
Here are several names to remember for the 2030 World Cup for Team USA.
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USMNT players to know for 2030 World Cup
While the U.S. entered the 2026 World Cup with an ample amount of hype, some due to co-hosting duties, the roster just couldn’t hold its own against an evidently better Belgium squad, which had previously struggled to begin the tournament. In 2030, the World Cup will travel to Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, and will likely feature some new and returning American faces.
Here are the players to start researching before their names become bigger in future competitions:
Folarin Balogun
- Age: 24 (28 in 2030)
- Position: Forward
- Club: AS Monaco
Headlining the United States’ attack will likely be a 28-year-old Folarin Balogun in his prime. The current AS Monaco 24-year-old capped off a stellar 2026 World Cup campaign with three goals to lead the U.S. squad. In 31 appearances with the USMNT, Balogun has scored 12 times.
THE @USMNT TAKES THE LEAD 🇺🇸
NOW BALOGUN CAN REALLY HIT THE @KingJames SILENCER! pic.twitter.com/4t9LzMjUUG
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 2, 2026
Malik Tillman
- Age: 24 (28 in 2030)
- Position: Midfielder
- Club: Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Malik Tillman walked away from the 2026 World Cup with a lot more eyes on him as a potential set-piece specialist for the future USMNT generation. Tillman became the first player since France’s Bernard Genghini in 1982 to score two free-kick goals at the World Cup. Prior to this summer’s tournament, the 24-year-old started half the games for Leverkusen this past season and put forth six goals in those 29 appearances. Tillman has scored five times across his 35 caps with the national team.
MALIK TILLMAN. pic.twitter.com/d69o7zgb0r
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 7, 2026
MORE: Is Mauricio Pochettino leaving Team USA?
Alex Freeman
- Age: 21 (25 in 2030)
- Position: Defender
- Club: Villarreal CF
Heading into the 2026 World Cup, Alex Freeman was the youngest player by two years on the USMNT roster. While he did have his good and lackluster moments, the 2026 tournament was the start of a potentially long career with the national team. He does play in Spain’s La Liga, so he has been in the building while Villarreal has taken on some of the world’s best players. In 22 matches with the USMNT, Freeman has tallied three goals.
ALEX FREEMAN MAKES IT 2-0 AMERICA! 🇺🇸
The goal is confirmed for the @USMNT after a VAR check! pic.twitter.com/jTGJxaXk52
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 19, 2026
Cavan Sullivan
- Age: 16 (20 in 2030)
- Position: Midfielder
- Club: Philadelphia Union
Cavan Sullivan didn’t make the 2026 World Cup roster, but he’s already perceived as a future cornerstone for the USMNT. He will be only 20 years old at the 2030 World Cup and will already have numerous professional seasons under his belt in MLS. In 17 matches during the 2026 MLS season, Sullivan has tallied three goals and four assists. Expect to see the youngster up for USMNT duties sometime soon.
MORE: Was the USA’s World Cup a success?
Ricardo Pepi
- Age: 23 (27 in 2030)
- Position: Forward
- Club: PSV Eindhoven
While Pepi capped off a solid 19-goal season in Europe for Dutch side PSV Eindhoven this past year, Pepi failed to provide a single shot on target throughout the 2026 World Cup. He is the most experienced of the USMNT’s forwards in terms of caps at age 23, but Pepi does have more time to develop a stronger career for his country. Through 42 caps for Team USA, Pepi has accumulated 13 goals.
Diego Luna
- Age: 22 (26 in 2030)
- Position: Midfielder
- Club: Real Salt Lake
Despite being featured in upcoming World Cup advertisements, midfielder Diego Luna was not selected on Pochettino’s final USMNT squad for the 2026 World Cup. In nine games for the MLS’s Real Salt Lake just before the World Cup, Luna accumulated four goals and an assist. In the Concacaf Gold Cup in 2025, the 22-year-old put three goals in the back of the net and also dished out two assists.
MORE:Projecting the USMNT roster at the 2030 FIFA World Cup
Giovanni Reyna
- Age: 23 (27 in 2030)
- Position: Midfielder
- Club: Borussia Monchengladbach
Another U.S. national who has been highly touted, Reyna’s honeymoon phase as a member of the USMNT has come to an end. He was only 23 at the 2026 World Cup, but fans have already begun questioning whether what he has given for the country thus far has warranted the hype. He was able to put the ball in the back of the net during eight minutes as a substitute against Paraguay in the group-stage opener, but the goal was his last shot on target for the duration of the tournament. In 43 games with Team USA, Reyna has accumulated 10 goals.
Mathis Albert
- Age: 17 (21 in 2030)
- Position: Forward
- Club: Borussia Dortmund
Greenville, S.C., native Mathis Albert is far from a household name at the time of the 2026 World Cup. In April 2026, Albert became the youngest American to play in the Bundesliga when he made his debut for Borussia Dortmund at the age of 16 years, 11 months, and 5 days. The club he debuted for is world-renowned for developing soccer stars, with the likes of Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, and Robert Lewandowski walking through their doors, so expect a respectable career at the minimum for Albert leading up to the 2030 World Cup.
Welcome to the Bundesliga and senior football, Mathis Albert 👏
16-year-old American out of Greenville, South Carolina 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/xsPJPKnSLA
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 26, 2026
