The 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup is over, and the United States exited in the quarterfinals for the fifth straight time. Despite the disappointing loss in that quarterfinal to eventual champions Morocco, the United States still
showed a lot of promise in defeating New Caledonia and France in the group stage and Italy in the Round of 16.
The USMNT may be in the middle of its final stretch of preparations before they co-host the 2026 World Cup, but it’s not too early to take a look beyond that tournament to see who could factor into the player pool for the next cycle. The U-20 World Cup is a great way for some of the younger talent to get real experience in an international competition and for coaches to evaluate how they would look on future national teams.
The USMNT U-20s had a few standout performers during the U-20 World Cup. While none of these players are in line to be called in before next summer’s World Cup, we take a look at four players who could be a part of the USMNT during the next cycle.
Benjamin Cremaschi – Midfielder, Parma
Benja Cremaschi is the U-20 player that is probably best destined to wind up on the USMNT. He made his USMNT debut in a September 2023 friendly against Oman and has three senior national team caps to date. However, as an 18-year-old on the national team that rose quickly through the ranks, he needed some more experience. He’s received that as a member of the 2024 Olympic team, where he made two appearances as the youngest member of the American squad that exited in the quarterfinals. Now, he was called upon to be one of the leaders of this U-20 team as they competed in the U-20 World Cup, and that he did. Benja Cremaschi scored 5 goals and added 2 assists, outpacing three other players to win the Golden Boot.
Cremaschi will likely get a shot to re-enter the USMNT player pool after the end of the World Cup next summer. His recent move from Inter Miami to Parma will be a big boost to his confidence if he can get some consistent playing time to continue his development.
Niko Tsakiris – Midfielder, San Jose Earthquakes
A lot of people who didn’t know Niko Tsakiris’ name before the start of the U-20 World Cup know his name now. He scored two goals during the tournament, including one against Italy in the Round of 16. The San Jose Earthquakes midfielder could find an opportunity to work himself into the senior national team mix next fall if he can continue to progress and build upon the good things he did at the U-20 World Cup. San Jose just missed out on qualifying for the MLS Cup Playoffs, but 2026 can be a pivotal year for the 20-year-old as he hopefully has a breakout season for his club to get that senior national team call-up.
Nolan Norris – Defender, FC Dallas
Nolan Norris had a pretty good performance at the U-20 World Cup. The FC Dallas defender had a brace against New Caledonia in the opening match, and helped the team to 2 clean sheets. He now gets back to Dallas in time for the MLS Cup Playoffs. As a defender, Norris will have a shot to compete in the next cycle if he can continue to improve. Hopefully his experience in Chile at the U-20 World Cup will allow him to elevate his game to the next level. He will need to get stronger to compete with international level strikers on defense, but you can see the upside when he’s on the field.
Cole Campbell – Forward, Borussia Dortmund
Cole Campbell is someone Dortmund fans hope is the next great American to feature at the club. The 19-year-old scored two goals at the U-20 World Cup, and while he didn’t have the best performances up top for the United States, he has a real chance to factor into the next cycle. Getting onto the field for Dortmund will help his confidence and his development immensely, and playing in the Bundesliga has traditionally been a boost for Americans. If he can get some consistent playing time, we will see Cole Campbell in a camp after the World Cup is done.
The U-20 World Cup is always a tournament where you can see the promise of tomorrow’s international stars. The hope is that some of these players from the United States squad will continue to improve and one day we will see them on the field as part of the next generational wave of American talent to represent the USMNT.
