USMNT Players’ High School Backgrounds Revealed Ahead of 2026 World Cup

The U.S. Men’s National Team is gearing up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the final 26-man roster officially announced on May 26 during a televised event in New York City. The tournament will mark a historic moment as the United States hosts the World Cup for the first time since 1994, alongside co-hosts Mexico and Canada.

Ahead of their opening match against Paraguay on June 12 in Los Angeles, many fans are taking a closer look at the backgrounds of the players representing the nation on football’s biggest stage — including where they went to high school before rising to global stardom.

From traditional school programs to specialized academies and even homeschooling, the paths taken by USMNT players highlight the diverse routes that led them to the World Cup.

USMNT 2026 World Cup Squad: Full List of Players and Their High Schools

Goalkeepers

Matt Freese

Attended: The Episcopal Academy (Newtown Square, Pennsylvania)

A standout student-athlete, Freese earned Delaware County Player of the Year honors in 2016 along with first-team all-state recognition.

Matt Turner

Attended: St. Joseph Regional High School (Montvale, New Jersey)

Turner didn’t begin playing organized soccer until age 14, making his rise to the World Cup level even more remarkable.

Chris Brady

Attended: Naperville North High School (Naperville, Illinois)

Brady later joined the Chicago Fire academy system in 2017 to further his development.

Defenders

Chris Richards

Attended: Hoover High School (Alabama) / Lone Star High School (Texas)

Moved during his early years, balancing school with youth soccer development.

Tim Ream

Attended: St. Dominic High School (O’Fallon, Missouri)

Helped lead his school to a state championship as a senior.

Mark McKenzie

Attended: YSC Academy (Wayne, Pennsylvania)

Developed through the Philadelphia Union academy system.

Auston Trusty

Attended: Penncrest High School (Pennsylvania) / IMG Academy / YSC Academy

Completed his prep career through multiple elite development pathways.

Miles Robinson

Attended: Arlington High School (Massachusetts)

Also excelled in basketball, scoring over 1,000 career points.

Fullbacks

Antonee Robinson

Attended: Halewood Academy (Liverpool, England)

Born in England before choosing to represent the United States internationally.

Sergiño Dest

Attended: Almere City Youth Academy (Netherlands)

Completed his schooling while developing in European youth systems.

Alex Freeman

Attended: American Heritage School (Plantation, Florida)

Began playing soccer at age four.

Joe Scally

Attended: Sachem High School (New York)

Did not play varsity soccer, turning professional at a young age.

Max Arfsten

Attended: San Joaquin Memorial High School (California)

Scored 50 goals in his senior season and earned league MVP honors.

Midfielders

Tyler Adams

Attended: Roy C. Ketcham High School (New York)

Signed professionally at 16 and never played high school soccer.

Weston McKennie

Attended: Liberty High School (Texas)

Finished schooling through online study due to early professional commitments.

Cristian Roldan

Attended: El Rancho High School (California)

Won Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2013.

Sebastian Berhalter

Attended: Olentangy Orange High School (Ohio)

Son of former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter.

Attackers

Christian Pulisic

Attended: Hershey High School (Pennsylvania)

Spent most of his teenage years training in Germany, even returning home for prom in 2016.

Tim Weah

Attended: Archbishop McCarthy High School (Florida)

Joined Paris Saint-Germain’s academy at age 14.

Malik Tillman

Attended: Lothar-Faber-Schule (Germany)

Balanced academics with elite youth development in Germany.

Gio Reyna

Attended: The Leys School (England)

Left formal schooling early to join Borussia Dortmund.

Brenden Aaronson

Attended: Shawnee High School (New Jersey) / YSC Academy (Pennsylvania)

Progressed through the Philadelphia Union development pathway.

Alejandro Zendejas

Homeschooled while training in the U.S. youth national team system.

Forwards

Folarin Balogun

Attended: Alderman Peel High School (England)

Focused early on academy development rather than traditional schooling.

Ricardo Pepi

Attended: Texas Virtual Academy

Completed education online while advancing through soccer ranks.

Haji Wright

No traditional high school attendance

Signed professionally at 16 through the U.S. Soccer residency program.

From traditional high school sports programs to elite academies across Europe and the United States, the USMNT roster reflects the increasingly global and diverse pathways to professional soccer.

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