The U.S. men's national team was the second-youngest team at the 2022 World Cup but, somehow, that may only be the tip of the iceberg. Youth development has been taken to a whole new level in the U.S. after years of playing catch-up with the rest of the world.
And after decades of laying the foundation for a true soccer culture, the process is starting to bear fruit as academies have churned out a conveyor belt of young talent.
Players like Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah and Gio Reyna have all been named to NXGN lists in the past before becoming USMNT superstars. Names like Ricardo Pepi and Gaga Slonina have too as they await their big breaks on the international stage. And who knows who's up next? At this point, it's hard to keep track of all of the Americans capable of making the leap to stardom.
Although there aren't any Americans on the 2023 NXGN Nine list of world football's most talented teenagers, there are plenty that could be fighting for such an honor in the years to come.
With all that in mind, check out the USMNT's NXGN Nine for 2023...