Jesse Marsch backs ‘golden generation’ of USA players after Leeds United duo called up

Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch believes Brenden Aaronson and Tyler Adams could be part of a memorable World Cup campaign.

The Leeds duo are now in Qatar, ready to kick off their World Cup campaign against Wales on Monday, and they head into the competition in good form. While Adams was sent off in his last game before the break, he and Aaronson have impressed since joining the Whites in the summer.

They now turn their attention to their first ever World Cup after what has been a rebuild at USMNT, the US national men’s team, following a disappointing decline ahead of the 2018 World Cup. Gregg Berhalter has rebuilt the squad with a talented group of young players, including the likes of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, the Leeds duo, Sergino Dest and Gio Reyna.

Wales, England and Iran stand in the way of USA, but there is belief aplenty in the States ahead of the tournament getting going for their side on Monday, and Leeds boss Marsch is full of belief himself.

‘This US team has a chance to be inspiring again. That’s the best thing that can happen for our sport,” Marsch said in a guest column for The Athletic. “They won’t want to talk about it right now, but in reality, this World Cup is a stepping stone for the team.

“We all want to see the team do really well now, but everyone back home is looking at 2026 and imagining what this can really become when the World Cup comes back to the US. It’s a foolish thing to even say out loud, but can we be contenders at home? To even say that out loud is ridiculous. But we do think this is a golden generation of players.

“We do think that — on pure potential — this is the best group we’ve ever had. So can they develop and grow in a way where, in three and a half years, they can be talked about as semi-finalists? Finalists? Gregg and the federation committed entirely to young players and now when you look at it, of course achieving qualification was a must given the fact we missed out in 2018, but if this group can do well in this tournament, you can use it as a springboard for 2026.

“It was really well done and really well thought-out and it gives us a chance to be better in 2026. And youth doesn’t have to be a detriment. They’re too young to be afraid. Too young to know any better.”