Identifying American footballers abroad in the “top” leagues is a straightforward task. Those firmly established as regulars for the national team are easily recognizable, but soccer is a fast-paced realm. Today’s presence could vanish tomorrow, and vice versa. Thus, here are a few names that might not have caught your attention, yet – players who aren’t just on the cusp of impactful seasons, but on the brink of promising careers.
The first U.S. soccer product that makes our list is UCONN alumni Frantz Pierrot. The 24-year-old striker was originally drafted by the Houston Dynamo before making his move to the League of Ireland with Athlone Town AFC. Since making his move to Ireland, he has netted 18 goals with his new club. As a Center Forward he has great height, speed, technical ability, and most importantly clinical finishing. Frantz is already making a name for himself in Europe and should be on many teams board.
On the opposite end of the ball we have Kobi Henry. The 19 year-old center back made huge headlines in 2022 when he drew the largest transfer fee for a USL player from historic Ligue 1 club Reims. Now with their reserve team and recovering from an injury(no details available) he will have the chance to continue his development in possibly the best league for young players in the world.
The next player on our list may be one of the most interesting prospects of all – Kahveh Zahiroleslam. The 6 foot 4 inch 21-year-old Yale forward just inked a deal with Belgian side Sint-Truiden. While Belgium is an international roster spot friendly league, making it an any European first division club is extremely difficult. However, if you have seen him play, you get it. With his height, it is remarkable, how agile and technical he is. The only comparison is to perhaps a modern basketball player who has the size of a “big man” and the skill of a point guard. Belgium is not only a hot bed for youth talent and development, but one of the most underrated leagues in the world.
Joshua Wynder is no secret, but still may be flying somewhat under the radar of top youth talent in the world. In reality this may only be due to his position. Wingers and midfielder can get by with skill until their body catches up. For a center-back that’s not the case. Now 18-years-old and in peak physical form you will see this world class youth product turn into a world class player. Wynder has already played professionally in the USL and captained the USYNT. With a few good seasons in Portugal he will be ready to get his shot at the men’s national team.
FBD | Tony Thomas DesRois
