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ASN Exclusive

Pierre aiming high after a strong summer return to the Philadelphia Union

Neil Pierre is one of the top young Americans in MLS in 2026, and the Philadelphia Union central defender spoke with ASN about his return to the club after a successful loan to Lyngby
BY Brian Sciaretta Posted
August 27, 2026
10:05 AM

SINCE THE 2026 MLS Season resumed following the World Cup, there has been a wave of impressive performances from U.S. youth internationals who have been making significant contributions to teams such as Orlando, Red Bull New York, the LA Galaxy, the New England Revolution, and Nashville SC. But perhaps the most impressive area of the youth movement has been with the Philadelphia Union where a sizable contingent of young Americans is helping to turn the team’s season around.

Neil Pierre, 18, is a key part of Philadelphia recent surge. The 6’7” central defender has appeared in all six of the Union’s games since the league restarted on July 22 with five of his appearances coming as starts. During that time with Pierre on the field, the Union have won four and drawn twice to climb out of last place and now within three points of the playoff line.

“We said right before the season restarted, that the first half of the season is done,” Pierre told ASN. “We can't really go back and look at that. This is our new start. This is a new season just to have the Philly mindset. We've been bringing that so far and we're doing well. Obviously making playoffs would be the goal, but we're kind of taking it game by game and just putting out good performances.”

Along with Pierre, the Union has received significant contributions from other young players including Cavan Sullivan and Frankie Westfield who also came up through the Union’s academy and are also top U.S. youth national players.

“It's great because even since we were younger, we talked about how we wanted to be playing on the same pitch together,” Pierre said. “To have that happen now, it's obviously a great feeling. It's like we're just playing with our friends. That's all it really is. It's just a great feeling - laughing and bantering. Then when something bad happens, knowing they have my back no matter what.”

This rise in contributions from team’s young players has coincided with Ryan Richter becoming the team’s interim head coach following Bradley Carnell’s dismissal on May 27. Many of the young players were familiar with each other, but now have the opportunity to play again under Richter, who was previously the Philadelphia Union II’s manager as well as a coach withing the academy.

For players such as Pierre, Richter’s promotion, even on an interim basis, allowed for continuity and familiarity for the players.  

“He's been around this club for a very long time, especially with me and a lot of the youngsters and even with the older guys like Kai Wagner, as the assistant coach,” Pierre said of Richter. “We knew him and we're very familiar and kind of trusted him. So in coming into his world, we knew exactly what we were going to do and where we were going to go and we have full faith in him.”

As you would expect, Pierre has made some youthful mistakes – such has conceding a penalty in a 3-2 win over New York City. But overall has shown a lot of promise, particularly with his aerial ability where he is effective on both sides of the ball.

Defensively, he has been steadily improving with him even earning the Man of the Match award for the Union’s most recent game, a 1-1 draw away against Austin FC.

In addition to his defensive contributions, Pierre has been one of the Union’s best offensive players over the past five weeks with three goals, all from headers, in 484 minutes.

Born in Harrisburg, PA, Pierre was raised in closer to Philadelphia in Lebanon and later Blue Mill. Both he and his older brother Nelson would eventually join the Philadelphia Union's academy where he was never short of role models.

The Philadelphia Union organization has been one of the best in MLS at giving opportunities to young players and putting them into great situations that can advance their careers. During his time with the Union’s youth teams, he watched players such as Brenden Aaronson, Auston Trusty, and Mark McKenzie move onto the top leagues in Europe and eventually make the U.S. World Cup team.

Pierre and McKenzie formed a mentor/mentee relationship long ago and the two might now become teammates as it is reported that McKenzie might return to Union after playing for Toulouse in France’s Ligue 1 since 2024.

“It's been great to watch them and have role models,” Pierre said. “Especially, Mark McKenzie was the real one for me, also being a center back. He's kept in touch with me and kind of taught me the ways, told me just keep going and that you're doing the right things. It's a great feeling to have an environment that these guys have been sold and have done what we are looking to do to then communicate to me and talk to me. It's amazing.”

After years in the Union’s academy, Pierre would eventually sign a professional contract with the Philadelphia Union II in MLS Next Pro in 2023 before signing a first-team homegrown deal just ahead of the 2025 MLS season.

Later that season on September 13, Pierre would make his MLS debut against the Vancouver Whitecaps. For that season, Pierre was also named the 2025 MLS Next Pro Defender of the Year.

But following that season, Pierre hit a crossroad in his development. He had outgrown MLS Next Pro but was not yet seen as ready to be a first team starter. To bridge that gap, the Union agreed to send him on loan to Lyngby, in the second tier of Denmark. In 2024, the Union's parent company, Unions Sports and Entertainment, entered into a strategic partnership and non-controlling ownership stake in Lyngby. The goal of the collaboration was to expand the Union's technical footprint, and provide another avenue for player development that connects MLS and a lower level in Europe.

Pierre became the first key part of that partnership and it worked tremendously well for all parties. Pierre immediately went over and became an important starter for Lyngby where he helped them earn promotion to the Danish Superliga through the playoffs. During that time, he took key steps in his development.

“I definitely knew it was going to be something different for me,” Pierre said of his loan to Lyngby. “And I kind of thought it was going to be tough. I lived here my whole life and I've never really experienced anything new. I needed to step up and I think it helped me in the end. It was a great decision from me and the club.”

“It's a once in a lifetime type of thing to be in a promotion group,” he added. “Playing wise, how I developed as a player, I think had a lot to do with Lyngby and how they played and how they brought me to the system. It was just, to be honest, amazing. Even in the beginning, it was a little rocky. Obviously, I didn't start, but I earned my spot like anyone else had to. And then I grew from there. So it was very necessary and good stuff.”

Then when he returned to the Union in the summer after the loan, he was now ready to take a big role with the Union's first team.  

In addition to the Philadelphia Union’s playoff push this fall, Pierre is also highly likely to be involved with playing for the United States in some capacity. It has been several years since U.S. youth national teams have pushed on top central defense prospects into the full national team player pool. Pierre is now arguably the key part of a generation of central defenders that is increasingly important to U.S. Soccer.

Pierre has played for U.S. youth teams dating back to the U-15 level in 2022 but he is now entering important eligibility years for the 2027 U-20 World Cup and the 2028 U-23 Olympic team. He was recently selected but not released for the CONCACAF U-20 Championships where the U.S. team finished second and qualified for the World Cup.

While he remains eligible for the 2027 U-20 World Cup, his ambitions are now higher.

“Ever since I was young, I've always watched Olympics, no matter what sport, and I see how they carry themselves and how they represent our country, and I think it's amazing,” Pierre said. “I always wanted to be a part of it. So to have a chance and also it being in L.A. And home soil would be amazing.”

“I have a goal of trying to make the Olympics, to be honest, and hopefully get into first team, national team, in the September camp. Those are my goals, but obviously if I were to be a part of that under-20, I would be grateful. Anytime I'm representing my country, I'm grateful.”

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