The dual nationals USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino should target in second cycle

Mauricio Pochettino is in it for the long haul now.

The USMNT head coach has agreed to continue in his current role on a new deal through 2030, defying the commonly held belief that he would depart after the 2026 World Cup.

With a longer time horizon now in place, Pochettino has to be more forward-thinking. That means new players will come in while others will transition out of the picture.

It should also mean that Pochettino adjusts his stance on recruiting dual nationals. The Argentine said in 2024 that he didn’t feel the need to push players too hard to represent the USMNT.

“We don’t need to convince [players],” Pochettino said. “A player needs to want to play for the national team.”

True as that may be, Pochettino has the clout to potentially convince a wavering player to come play for him. As the USMNT looks ahead toward 2030, there are several dual nationals that could be contributors now and in the future.

This isn’t a comprehensive list of every player in the pipeline eligible for other countries. Instead, these are the highest-priority players who also appear to have a legitimate chance to play for other countries.

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The most obvious priority for Pochettino will be continuing his pursuit of Banks, who has been in camp with the USMNT but wavered ahead of the World Cup.

The 19-year-old may well have made the World Cup roster, but turned down a March call-up after admitting he was considering switching to Germany. The U.S. issues at center back have been apparent for years, and losing a blue-chip teenage prospect would be a major blow.

Emenalo may rocket to the top of this list if he continues his upward trajectory at Chelsea.

The 18-year-old has impressed with the Blues in preseason and appears to have a real chance to feature with the first team this season. A tall, rangy left-footer, Emenalo can play a variety of positions including left back, center back and defensive midfield.

Emenalo was born in Arizona and moved to England when he was young. He has featured for the U.S. at the youth level but has been with England’s under-18s most recently. He is also eligible for Nigeria.

Culbreath emerged in the second half of the season for Leverkusen, starting eight of the team’s last nine Bundesliga matches. The 18-year-old can operate as a winger or wingback, though his natural position is a No. 10.

Eligible to represent the USMNT through his father, Culbreath has most recently been with Germany’s under-19s but said earlier this year that he was open to the possibility of a switch.

Hall has enjoyed a breakout campaign in MLS, scoring nine goals thus far and earning an All-Star Game selection.

The 18-year-old was born and raised in the U.S. but also has Polish citizenship through his mother. Poland has not been shy about its pursuit of the striker, sending its federation president to the U.S. on a recruiting mission.

Hall has only represented the United States at the youth international level, but has continued to insist he is open to both countries.

Along with his teammate Hall, Mehmeti has been one of the breakout stars of the MLS season. The 17-year-old holding midfielder plays with a composure beyond his years, showing the ability to progress the ball with his vision and technical ability.

Mehmeti is a born-and-bred New Yorker, the son of Albanian immigrants. He has played for both countries at the youth international level and recently told the Scuffed podcast he was “open to both” when it comes to his international future.

Okoh has been a major prospect for some time, but injuries have stalled his progress. After moving to Auxerre at midseason, the 23-year-old center back was excellent before suffering a torn ACL in May.

This will have to be a wait-and-see situation, but Okoh — who was born in Texas and grew up in Switzerland — will be worth a look at a thin position if he can recapture his pre-injury form.

Koleosho has seen his stock dim somewhat since a breakout half-season in the Premier League at Burnley in 2023-24. The winger has struggled with injuries and consistency since then, but found his footing during a half-season loan at Paris FC — which has since made the move permanent.

The Connecticut-born Koleosho made his senior debut with Italy over the summer. With the Azzurri in full-fledged experimental mode, that data point doesn’t quite have the significance it once did. Still, Koleosho is only 21 and his progress in France is worth monitoring.

Nozawa may be something of a longshot to ever play for the U.S., but the 23-year-old is worth pursuing at a position where the USMNT is currently hurting.

After moving to Antwerp from FC Tokyo, Nozawa impressed during his first season in Europe. Reports in Belgium have said the Japan-born goalkeeper could be moving to a bigger league after just one season.

Nozawa, who has a Japanese mother and an American father, has only been involved with Japan at the international level, and it’s not clear if he would even have interest in the U.S. But with Zion Suzuki — another player formerly eligible for the U.S. — entrenched with Japan, Nozawa would clearly have an easier path to international playing time with the USMNT.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: The dual nationals USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino should target in second cycle