The debate over the United States’ youth football development has intensified following their disappointing exit to Belgium in the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup. While many have pointed to the pay-to-play system as in need of reform, one former USMNT player believes the real reform is needed elsewhere.
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Andrew Carleton, who was previously involved with both the USMNT and the MLS, recently spoke out on X about the reports of US Soccer exploring an overhaul of the youth soccer system, claiming that the youth system is “not the problem.”
“Anyone telling you that either doesn’t know what they’re talking about or they’re protecting MLS,” he wrote in a long post. “The USMNT will never become an elite national team as long as MLS continues spending millions on young foreign players instead of giving meaningful minutes to young Americans. Every MLS club has talented academy players who sign Homegrown deals. Fans get excited, then those players spend the next 3–4 years sitting on the bench or in MLS NEXT Pro. By the time they’re 21 or 22, the window to become truly world-class is gone.”
The former Atlanta United player’s blunt statement carries weight because he himself was a member of the pipeline. Following a promising campaign with the USMNT at the U-17 World Cup in 2017, he became the MLS team’s first Homegrown pick, meant to be a local talent they would develop.
However, his career stagnated, and he was eventually released by the club in 2020, making two starts in just 11 games due to the team having expensive attackers like Josef Martinez, Miguel Almiron, Tito Villalba, and Ezequiel Barco ahead of him. Now, the pro believes that the issue lies in these same attacking positions, where clubs favor foreign players.
“There’s a reason the only young Americans who consistently break through in MLS are outside backs and, occasionally, center backs,” he said. “Meanwhile, they invest millions in midfielders and forwards, making it nearly impossible for a 17-, 18-, or 19-year-old American to play over a 20-year-old South American the club paid a $10 million transfer fee and a multi-million-dollar salary to.”
Carleton concluded that reforming the youth soccer system alone won’t do, and the national team will continue to face challenges if elite prospects miss out on invaluable experience, drawing heavily on his own experiences in the MLS.
With the debate around the future of US Soccer already gaining traction, only time will tell if the reforms make any real change in the country’s top-tier talent.
