A Philly Thing: The Region Shaping the USMNT ahead of the World Cup

Just minutes from Haverford’s campus, something was being built.

For years, the Philadelphia Union ran their youth academy out of an unassuming office park in Wayne, Pennsylvania. No fanfare, no billboards. From Route 202, you could barely make out a sliver of green turf behind the buildings. Inside, they were doing something no other MLS club had tried: running their own private school, YSC Academy, fusing elite soccer training with a college-prep curriculum and maintaining  full control of the operation. No club in the United States produces as many national team call-ups across all age levels as the Union. Many products of that model are now preparing to play in a home World Cup.

Mark McKenzie knows where it started. A central defender who came up through the Union academy and now plays for French side Toulouse, McKenzie captured the journey well: “To think back when we were in Wayne … in a small locker room, 70 of us squeezing in there and showering,” he said. “We’ve come a long way.”

Matt Freese, the presumptive starting goalkeeper for the United States, was born in Wayne and attended The Episcopal Academy in Bryn Mawr.  After rising through the ranks of the Union academy, he played college soccer at Harvard University, where he wrote his thesis on saving penalty kicks. He graduated early with an Economics degree and signed a homegrown contract with the Union, where spent years as a backup to Andre Blake. After a move to New York City FC, gradually built himself into one of the best goalkeepers in MLS. 

The Philadelphia representation doesn’t stop there. Brenden Aaronson grew up in Medford, New Jersey and was selected for YSC Academy. He joined the Union Juniors at age ten, affectionately known as the “Medford Messi.” He progressed through the entire Union pipeline—from juniors to the first team—before moving to Red Bull Salzburg, Leeds United, and a loan to Union Berlin. He is now back in the Premier League with Leeds, where he leads the team in assists.

Another local player is Auston Trusty, who was born in Media, Pennsylvania, near Swarthmore. He attended Penncrest High School, a Central League rival of the Haverford School, before joining YSC Academy and the Union youth setup at age 13. From there, he moved toUnion, then Arsenal FC, Birmingham City FC, and Sheffield United, where he made 32 Premier League appearances in a single season, before signing a five-year deal with  Celtic FC in 2024. 

Then there is Christian Pulisic. He is not quite a Union product— he grew up in Hershey, Pa. and went straight to Borussia Dortmund at 16 after starring for PA Classics — but the connection exists. In 2012, before the Union had a formal academy, Pulisic played in a youth tournament for a Union-branded under-15 team of players from area clubs. 

Looking towards the World Cup, the United States men’s national soccer team  (USMNT) will look to improve upon its 2022 Round of 16 exit, this time under high-profile coach Mauricio Pochettino. The USMNT has drawn a favorable group: it will open against Paraguay, then face Australia, and close group play against a dangerous Türkiye side. With the new expanded format allowing  up to three teams from each group to advance to the Round of 32. Advancing from this group—and winning it—is the expectation, not the hope. 

The Philadelphia pipeline does not stop with this World Cup. Cavan Sullivan, born in Philadelphia and raised in Norristown, became the youngest player to appear in a major professional league in U.S. history when he debuted for the Union at 14 years, 293 days old, breaking Freddy Adu’s longstanding record. His contract includes a clause sending him to Manchester City when he turns 18. He will not be on the 2026 roster, but the next World Cup cycle may already feature one of the most highly touted youth prospects of this century.

American soccer has spent decades searching for proof that its development model works. That answer has been building quietly in the Philadelphia region—in a cramped locker room in Wayne, on the fields of Media and Medford, and in the hallways of Episcopal Academy and Penncrest. While the U.S. soccer setup still has room to grow, the potential emerging from Philadelphia is beginning to show.

Philadelphia will host six World Cup matches at Lincoln Financial Field, including a Round of 16 game on July 4, the 250th anniversary of the United States.