Recently, the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) released its final roster for the September/October International window. Five of the 28 players who USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino named represent Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Philadelphia Union and Red Bull New York.
Three represent the Union: forward Cavan Sullivan and defenders Neil Pierre and Francis Westfield. The two representing Red Bull New York are Julian Hall and Adri Mehmeti. This is the first senior call-up for all five players.
In addition to these five young players, former Union Homegrowns Matt Freese and Auston Trusty were also named to the USMNT roster.
On New Jersey Sports has a detailed list of the five players from the Unon and Red Bull who could make their senior international debuts as early as September 26 when the USMNT take on Peru in the first of four friendlies.
Cavan Sullivan
On September 13, the Union defeated San Diego FC 5-0. In that match, the 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan scored his first career brace and was named MLS Player of the Matchday for the first time in his career. At 16 years, 351 days, Sullivan became the third-youngest player in MLS history to obtain this honor behind Freddy Adu (15 years, 342 days) and Santino Quaranta (16 years, 275 days).
In 2024, the Philadelphia-native became the youngest player to make their MLS debut in league history at 14 years and 293 days old.
During the press conference following the Union’s match on September 13, Union head coach Ryan Richter explained what Sullivan has shown throughout the season that sets him apart from other players.
His outstanding quality is his mentality. He’s not afraid of any moment. He trains like an animal every single day. He’s willing to do all the work defensively, even with all this stuff that’s around him of showing his special qualities…that’s what pushes him to get better and better. – Ryan Richter
Since the FIFA World Cup break, the Union are on a 10-match unbeaten streak in MLS play and that has moved them from last in the Eastern Conference to seventh place.
Sullivan has the third-most goals (six) and the most assists (11) on the Union this year. His eleven assists are tied for the third-most in MLS this season, just two behind Lionel Messi’s 13 assists which lead the league. His 12 goal contributions
Cavan’s brother, Quinn, also plays for the Union, currently, and earned three caps for the USMNT in 2025.
Neil Pierre
One year ago, Neil Pierre made his MLS debut as a substitute against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Three years after making his MLS NEXT Pro debut, Pierre has made an impression in his first full MLS season of 2026 with the Philadelphia Union and is on his way to the USMNT.
In 2023, the Pennsylvania-native signed his first professional contract with the Philadelphia Union II of MLS NEXT Pro.
The homegrown center back was loaned out to Danish first division team, Lyngby in January and scored four goals in 10 appearances. He has shown that that was not a fluke by scoring four goals while providing an assist in 10 appearances so far this season.
Like his teammate, Cavan, he also has a brother who plays professional soccer. Neil’s brother Nelson Pierre is currently playing in the Canadian Premier League on loan from the Whitecaps.
Neil Pierre has experience representing the U.S. internationally. He first represented the US Youth National Team at the U-15 level. He has also featured for the U.S. at the U-16, U-18 and U-19 levels. He served as captain of the United States U-16 team in one match at the International Dream Cup.
Pierre has broken through and become a fine MLS player on a team that is positioned to make the playoffs.
Francis “Frankie” Westfield
Twenty-year-old right-back Francis Westfield has also earned his first senior call-up to the USMNT.
However, the Philadelphia-native is no stranger to international soccer, as he has made 10 appearances with the US U-20 Men’s Youth National Team and scored a goal after debuting on Oct. 11, 2024. He also represented the United States at the 2025 U-20 World Cup.
Westfield joined the Union academy in 2021 and became the seventh Union academy player to sign an MLS NEXT Pro contract that same year. In 2024, Westfield was a key player on a Union II team that went to the MLS NEXT Pro Cup final. That season, he set a Union II record for goals scored by a defender in a single season with six.
During this MLS regular season, Westfield has been outstanding. His eight assists are the second-most on the Union and tied for sixth-best in the league.
Julian Hall
The product of Red Bull New York’s academy signed his first professional contract in 2023. In 2026, Hall became the youngest player in MLS history to score a hat trick and was named to the MLS All-Star team for the first time.
Hall scored five goals for Red Bull New York academy’s U-15 team during the 2023 MLS NEXT playoffs and was named MLS NEXT Cup MVP. After that he split time in 2024 between Red Bull New York’s first and second teams.
Current Red Bulls II head coach Dominik Wohlert was an assistant coach of analysis with Red Bull New York’s first team in 2023 when Hall made his MLS debut at 15 years, 190 days old in September 2023. Wohlert described how Hall has grown as a player since then.
I had quite a bit of time with Julian. I was there when he basically received his first call-ups under Troy Lesesne to our training session. Around then, he was 14, 15 years old. It’s just really nice to see how he grew as a player, grew as a personality. He was able to push nearly everything he had at that moment. He was able to push it to the next level, and now he’s a proper MLS striker, and in that age to receive the call-up, it’s a big achievement. I hope it’s just the start for something big. I think the whole club is wishing him the best.
The 18-year-old Manhattan-native comes into his first senior USMNT camp having featured extensively for US Youth Men’s National team sides from the U-15 level up to U-17. He made his youth international debut on April 25, 2023.
This season, Hall has stepped up for Red Bull New York. His 10 goals currently lead the team and are eighth-most in MLS.
Adri Mehmeti
Seventeen-year-old Adri Mehmeti has shown in his rookie season that he has what it takes to be a great MLS midfielder.
As a holding midfielder, the Staten Island-native sets the pace for his team in the midfield by tackling and making passes. This season, Mehmeti ranks 24th out of 900 active rostered players in MLS in completed passes with 1,188.
He joined the Red Bull New York academy in 2019. At 15, he signed his first professional contract with Red Bull New York’s first team in 2024. He was captain of the Red Bull New York II side that won MLS NEXT Pro cup in 2025.
This season, Mehmeti has one goal and four assists and has started 24 matches out of his team’s 25 total matches.
