2010 Top 20

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December 2025
Do not be fooled by the disappointing showing at the U-15 Concacaf Championship—this 2010 class is stronger than the results suggest and brings a lot to be excited about. The top of the pool features several comparable prospects who could shuffle places over the next few years, and the class boasts some of the best midfield profiles the U.S. has seen since the 2004 and 2005 groups.

Positionally, the midfield is the clear strength, with high-end options across the 6, 8, and 10 roles and multiple players projecting as legitimate long-term USYNT anchors. Goalkeeping also looks like a strength, while center-back remains underwhelming, though Miles Aalbersberg’s strong camp and the growing reputation of Max Gordon in Germany offer encouraging signs. Both full-back groups are very thin—right-back has a bit more depth—but left-back could get a boost if Roman Avakian Gomez continues developing in that role at Mainz.

The winger pool is modest but improving, highlighted by the emergence of Theo Hallie and Easton Wilson, and potentially bolstered if Oscar Avilez becomes eligible. Striker is one of the class’s strongest areas, especially if the U.S. can secure a commitment from Rodrigo Kimbrough, who would instantly raise the ceiling of the group.

The European-based contingent remains a key variable. I haven’t seen Will Recupero since his move to Germany, but he’s played with their youth setup and is reportedly performing very well.

Overall, this is a unique and high-upside class—one that could trend significantly upward if the right profiles make the expected leaps.
CM, AM, CF
Class strengths
CB, LB, RB
Class weaknesses

1. DM/CB, Nathan Tchoumba, Colorado Rapids (No change)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸
Youth National Team: 🇺🇸 U-16
Tchoumba is a uniquely elite young No. 6, blending rare height, quickness, and explosiveness with high-level technical skill, tactical intelligence, and a disruptive defensive presence. I'd like to see him expand his passing range and become more proactive.

2. CF/W, Jamil Danjaji, Columbus Crew (↑5)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸
Youth National Team: 🇺🇸 U-16
Danjaji is a dynamic, versatile attacker whose pace, quick feet, and directness make him a constant threat. He continues to refine his touch and close control, but needs to have more consistently sharp and decisive movements in the final third.

3. CM, Abdoulaye Diop, Philadelphia Union (↑2)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸 🇸🇳
Youth National Team: 🇺🇸 U-16
Diop is a rare physical and technical prospect—towering in stature yet nimble on the ball, with standout 1v1 dribbling and disruptive defensive reach—but he needs to influence the game more consistently and be more active when he isn't on the ball.

4. AM/CM, Kamil Castillo, DC United (↑4)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸 🇩🇴
Youth National Team: No appearances this cycle
Castillo is a dynamic young attacking midfielder with an exceptional blend of size, technical skill, and relentless work rate, making him equally dangerous with and without the ball. As he grows into his long frame, I hope he becomes a little more explosive in his first few steps.

5. CF, Da’vian Kimbrough, Sacramento Republic (No change)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸 🇲🇽
Youth National Team: 🇺🇸 U-16  🇲🇽 U-17
Kimbrough has always been advanced physically and may be done growing, but he has really improved his goal scoring record and his striker movements are becoming more refined.

6. GK, Connor Dale, Unattached (↑3)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸
Youth National Team: 🇺🇸 U-16
Dale is a physically gifted young goalkeeper with ideal size, quick footwork, explosive reactions, and strong distribution with both feet, but he must develop greater consistency and reduce mental lapses to reach his full potential.

7. DM, David Ilevbare, Atlanta United (↑5)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸 🇳🇬
Youth National Team: 🇺🇸 U-16
Ilevbare is a physically dominant and technically gifted young defensive midfielder, blending rare size, strength, and speed with elite footwork, passing range, and disruptive defensive instincts. He needs to become more assertive in possession and get on the ball with more determination.

8. CM/AM, Vicente Garcia, LA Galaxy (↓6)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸 🇲🇽
Youth National Team: 🇺🇸 U-16
Garcia is a gifted young footballer with the versatility to thrive in any midfield role, blending refined technical skill, a cultured left foot, and impressive tenacity to outmaneuver physical opponents and consistently win back possession. His physical profile and accuracy as a passer are my biggest gripe right now.

9. W/AM, Robert Turdean, Chicago Fire (↓6)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸 🇷🇴
Youth National Team: 🇺🇸 U-16
Turdean is a dynamic, quick-thinking attacker with elite ball control and creativity in tight spaces, whose impact lies almost entirely in attack with limited defensive contribution. He is quick, but does he have enough size and strength to remain a consistent threat out wide?

10. AM/CM, Mono Martinez, LA Galaxy (↑7)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸 🇲🇽
Youth National Team: 🇲🇽 U-16
Martinez is an entertaining, technically gifted number ten who plays with a ton of confidence and determination. It is so hard to make it as a pure number ten, can he do it? And if not, where does he project positionally?

11. W, Ikenna Chidebe, LA Galaxy (↓7)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸 🇳🇬
Youth National Team: 🇺🇸 U-16
Chidebe is the top pure winger in his class—undersized but exceptionally quick and fluid—with elite technical skills as both a dribbler and passer, a strong defensive work ethic. He gets bullied off the ball a lot in his own age group, he'll need to add strength and cleverness to avoid that as he plays bigger and stronger players.

12. AM/CM, Eddie Niles, St. Louis City (New addition)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸
Youth National Team: 🇺🇸 U-16
Niles is one of the most gifted and exciting players with the ball at his feet with excellent close control, vision and a knack for making plays in the final third. He doesn't have ideal size, so his position projection is a little bit of a question.

13. CF, Landon Lucero, Seattle Sounders (New addition)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸
Youth National Team: No appearances this cycle
Lucero is a well-sized, coordinated striker with above-average speed and a remarkably well-rounded skill set, capable of holding up, connecting, running behind, dribbling, and finishing in multiple ways. He may not have an elite standout trait yet, but he’s good at nearly everything you want from a modern number nine.

14. GK, Jason Nemo, Chicago Fire (↑1)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸
Youth National Team: 🇺🇸 U-16
Nemo is a promising goalkeeping prospect known for his composure and technical ability on the ball, accurate distribution with both feet, strong command of his area, and above-average shot-stopping skills, despite lacking prototypical goalkeeper length.

15. CF/W, Easton Wilson, Real Salt Lake (New addition)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸
Youth National Team: No appearances this cycle
Wilson brings great pace and profiles as a CF/W tweener who’s most dangerous when running behind defenses or attacking directly with the ball. Long term, he may fit best as a center-forward, but he’ll need to improve his hold-up play to maximize that role given his limited 1v1 craft out wide. He also need to make quicker decisions when dribbling out wide.

16. LB, Seyi Fakiseyi, Atlanta United (New addition)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸 🇨🇦
Youth National Team: 🇺🇸 U-16, 🇨🇦 U-16
Fakiyesi is a well rounded full-back who is a good one on one defender and is capable of carrying the ball through traffic to break pressure. He lacks elite physical qualities, but still projects above benchmarks for key left-back attributes.

17. CM/DM, Ezra Mahteme, San Jose Earthquakes (↓7)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸
Youth National Team: No appearances this cycle
Mahteme is a dynamic and intelligent young midfielder whose rare blend of size, fluidity, soft feet, and intelligent off-ball movement make him an intriguing midfielder player. Like many players in this class, his major question mark is his ability to consistently impact games.

18. CB, Miles Aalbersberg, Ajax (New addition)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸 🇳🇱
Youth National Team: 🇺🇸 U-16, 🇳🇱 U-16
Aalbersberg is a smooth, adequately sized center-back and arguably the best passer in the class, comfortable dribbling out of pressure and showing his midfield background in possession. The key question is his defensive edge—how much he relishes defending and how physically he competes in duels.

19. W/AM, Tamba Hallie II, FC Dallas (New addition)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸
Youth National Team: No appearances this cycle
Hallie is a slightly undersized but shifty attacker with decent pace, strong vision, and the ability to play smoothly in tight spaces while offering set-piece value. To take the next step, he must become a more reliable finisher, as his end product in front of goal remains inconsistent.

20. CB, Mikel Akinmboni, DC United (New addition)

Nationalities: 🇺🇸 🇳🇬
Youth National Team: No appearances this cycle
Akinmboni has very good size and is gifted on the ball, both dribbling out of pressure and distributing with both feet. I love his bravery and confidence on the ball. He has grown a lot at a young age and still looks a little awkward defending in space, but hopefully he will become a bit more coordinated as he grows into his body.

Disclaimer

I have not had the opportunity to thoroughly scout the following players in the last 12-months. If you have full game film for any of these players from the last 12-months, please contact me at marcus@ussoccercollective.com.

GK, Milan Johnson (Ajax), GK, Paul Küepper (Hertha Berlin), GK, Oliver Luca Mead, (QPR), LB, Roman Avakian Gomez (Mainz), CB, Max Gordon (Bayer Leverkusen), CM, Ben Moskowitz (Leeds), CM, Andre Bistrain (AD Alcorcón), CM, Ivan Rihachi Tchekan (Hoffenheim), AM, Will Recupero (vBf Stuttgart), AM, Anthony Applewhaite (Mainz), W, Jonathan Puslecki (Heerenveen), W, Jayden Eldridge (Nordsjaelland)

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