Soccer: U.S. Players Everyone Should Be Talking About

From right here at home in Major League Soccer to the European leagues, a small group of Americans have been making hay recently.

From teenagers to prospects, from young stars to veterans who are just beginning to prove themselves on the big stage: here are seven American players whom every U.S. soccer fan should be talking about.

Josh Gatt

Right now, Josh Gatt is the hottest USMNT prospect since...well, since the last hottest USMNT prospect.

Often, USMNT fans—in a quasi-desperate hope to find the next great American talent—push the crown on players who have not yet had the time to develop, or the time to prove they truly deserve the crown.

But for those who like to engage in king-making, Gatt is probably the best bet out there right now.

Over the past year, Gatt’s stock has been continuously rising; so much so that, on Sunday, Gatt received his first USMNT call-up.

It all began about a year ago, when Gatt scored two impressive goals for Molde in the Norwegian league that quickly became YouTube sensations. 

At Molde, Gatt is being managed by Manchester United Legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and has continued to progress this season. So far, he has six goals in 15 games; and again, some of them have been sensational.

Check out this goal of Gatt scoring last week where he runs by two defenders like they are training cones.

Unfortunately for Gatt, and the USMNT, his debut with the national team will have to wait. Gatt withdrew from the squad almost immediately because of a hamstring injury.

Connor Lade

For those who don’t know him, Lade is a 22-year-old outside back for the New York Red Bulls.

As a rookie this season, Lade has 22 appearances for the Red Bulls and has played very well, earning praise from both his manager and superstar Thierry Henry. 

His ability to play on the left side of the defense should come as welcome news for USMNT fans should Lade ever receive a national team call-up.

Dax McCarty

Along with much bigger name stars such as Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore and Freddy Adu, McCarty was part of the U.S. U-20 team that defeated a Pato-led Brazil and a Luis Suarez-led and Edinson Cavani-led Uruguay during the 2007 U-20 World Cup.

Since then, McCarty’s career path has been much less sensational than his 2007 compatriots. McCarty has seen three MLS clubs in his seven years as a professional, but is still only 25 and just starting to come into his own.

His play with the New York Red Bulls has been so consistent this year that it has some writers talking about how he may be the team’s MVP. This, by the way, is an MLS team with Thierry Henry, Kenny Cooper, Sebastien Le Toux, Ryan Meara, Rafa Marquez, Tim Cahill and Heath Pearce.

Geoff Cameron

A year ago, Geoff Cameron was just one of four MLS names being thrown around as potential replacements for the USMNT’s aging backline. Along with George John, Omar Gonzalez and Tim Ream, Cameron was considered by many to be the least likely of the four to work his way into the squad.

However, this year has seen a near-meteoric rise in Cameron’s career. Spring-boarding a fine MLS season and MLS Cup appearance into a USMNT January camp call-up, Cameron began to attract interest from abroad and worked his way into USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s long-term plans.

In just the last month, Cameron secured a move to the English Premier League. He has started the last two games for Stoke City and was part of last month’s historic USMNT win over Mexico at Estadio Azteca.

Conor O'Brien

O’Brien is a player who has been starting to pop up on some USMNT fans’ radars as of late. After playing in college at Bucknell, the New York native was not able to attract enough interest from the MLS so he moved to Denmark to pursue professional football.

Working his way up from the third-tier of Danish football to their top division, the 23-year-old O’Brien is now looking for more challenges, perhaps even an international call-up.

Terrence Boyd

By now, almost all serious USMNT fan knows who Terrence Boyd is, but few may realize how fast he is developing.

Last winter, as the U.S. U-23’s began preparing for Olympic qualifying, Boyd’s name began to pop up as he began scoring goals while the team trained in Europe. Then, in February, Boyd received a surprise call-up for the Italy friendly with the full national team and even got into the match, entering in the 79^th minute.

In March, Boyd was a part of the U-23’s failed bid to qualify for the Olympics. Nonetheless he impressed, scoring a brace in the U.S.’ ill-fated 3-3 draw with El Salvador as they were eliminated from qualifying.

In May, Boyd was called into the full national team again for its “Five-Game Tournament” and played in his first official game for the USMNT entering the World Cup qualifier against Antigua and Barbuda as a late-game substitute.

This summer, the 21-year-old Boyd transferred from Borussia Dortmund to Rapid Vienna and has begun the season at a torrid pace, with six goals in ten appearances so far.

Perhaps what is most impressive about Boyd is that he appears to be the type of player the U.S. has always lacked. He has that rare combination of pace, power and skill and has the ability to score not only beautiful goals, but simple ones as well.

Here is his work from this weekend—a brace from two simple finishes.

Embedded in this slide is one of his brilliant finishes from earlier this season.

And here is one of his brilliant finishes with the U-23’s.

Will Packwood

Packwood is a 19-year-old center back prospect currently playing with Birmingham City in the English Championship. He has two appearances so far this season.

The son of an English father and an American mother, Packwood is eligible to represent either nation, but has played for the U.S. at the U-17, U-18 and U-20 levels.

With the U.S. backline aging faster than it can find suitable replacements, the 6’3” Packwood is certainly one of the U.S.’ top prospects.

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