THE UNITED STATES U-20 team won the CONCACAF tile last weekend and the triumph accomplished a lot for U.S. Soccer. It put the team into the U-20 World Cup, most notably it ended the Olympics qualifying drought that dated back to 2008, and it also kept the U-20 CONCACAF title in the hands of the United States for the third consecutive cycle.

One of the most important drivers in that success was the Philadelphia Union organization. Overall, the Union had four players on the U.S. roster and those players combined for 15 goals and six assists. Paxten Aaronson was named the best player in the tournament after winning the golden boot with seven goals. Quinn Sullivan contributed directly to the most goals – scoring six and assisting on three. Jack McGlynn, a deeper midfielder, scored twice, and central defender Brandan Craig was the main free kick taker and he notched two assists.

But it wasn’t just how they performed well off the field, it was also their leadership and maturity they showed off the field in Honduras as well as in previous camps that was so important.

“They've been great,” U.S. U-20 head coach Mikey Varas said. “I think the best part about the Philly guys is that they don't have a clique mentality. They're team-first guys, they adapt really, really well to different scenarios, and they do a great job of bringing the team together. And without a doubt, all four of them were tremendously important.”

The trend of top player development has been growing in the Union organization and it has reflected on all levels. First, the team doesn’t just spend a lot of time and money developing players, but it also plays young players – and most importantly wins with young players. In 2020, Brenden Aaronson and Mark McKenzie helped earn the Union the Supporters Shield title. Then after they were sold, the Union continued to win with other young players such as the imported Leon Flach and Nathan Harriel. That deal advanced to the Eastern Conference final and was stopped more due to a COVID outbreak than their opponent, New York City.

This year, the Union are once again among the best teams in the Eastern Conference. This current group of U-20 players have not contributed much, but head coach Jim Curtin realizes that after this tournament, things are changing quickly.

“I think it does raise expectations,” Curtin said. “The expectations have risen at our club and we fully embraced it. I think it's good that the expectations for these young kids goes up too. I think there are expectations for me to give them more minutes as well. But they've earned that.”

“All four of our guys really raised their level and showed well, gained confidence, and got the job done,” he added.

But there is a lot more to their development than simply being naturally talented and getting game time. It is also getting challenged by demanding coaches, and showing the ability to respond.

Both Varas and Curtin are known to challenge their players with specific goals and areas for improvement. In Honduras, Varas indicated that he was surprised with how well the Union players responded to their specific challenges.

“We've had to challenge each one of them individually throughout the process,” Varas said. “I can't say that I thought for sure they were going to play as well as they did… Whether that was challenging Paxten before the Argentina trip that he needs to start scoring goals. And he stepped up. That's been the most impressive thing is every time we challenge these guys, and that goes across the board. They've had incredible responses.”

The players themselves knew specifically what to expected coming into Honduras based on the previous camps – mostly recently in Argentina where the U.S. team drew Argentina 2-2 behind goals from Aaronson and Sullivan and then defeated River Plate 5-3 behind a hat trick from Sullivan and a goal from McGlynn.

“They just wanted to see me get into the box more and get in better goal scoring positions, and then executing when I do get into those positions. I thought that was something that I can improve back at home.”

“They want me to be like the tempo setter for us,” McGlynn added. “They want me to start our attacks -  connect our backline to our forwards, get the ball to the attackers create attacks.”

What is happening now in Philadelphia is not just limited to the U.S. U-20 team, or the previous duo of Brenden Aaronson or McKenzie. The signs are there that Philadelphia’s development is on pace for sustainable success.

In the early camps of the U.S. U-17 national team, the Philadelphia Union has had the most call-ups. Over the weekend, the club’s U-17 team won their age group for the MLS Next championship. Many of the current top Union group have been within Philadelphia’s organization since their early teens, or before, and are now completing the cycle into one of the best first-teams in MLS.

“That's just a testament to our academy, and Tommy Wilson and Richie Graham, our founder,” Sullivan said. “That's a big testament to them, they should get a lot of the credit for what they do, and each individual coach and player too.”

GOAL by Paxten Aaronson! ??
What a start for @USYNT! ????????#CU20 pic.twitter.com/WYLG4omBpd

— Concacaf (@Concacaf) July 2, 2022

Craig agreed.

"We're in such a good environment to learn and develop as better players," Craig said. "And a lot of it is because of the fact that we have an academy, a second team and a first team that trusts young guys. So it's really, really special what we have here, and it's really paying off in a youth international level."

Of course, the after Honduras is only now just beginning. All four players acknowledged after the semifinal win over Honduras to secure a spot in the Paris Olympics in 2024 has given them extra motivation returning to the Union for the second half of the cycle. McGlynn even acknowledged that earning a spot on the Paris roster will be motivating him for the next two years.

But there is also the bond that the players share. That has also been a hallmark of the Union players – even among top player like Brenden Aaronson and McKenzie who have earned lucrative moves to Europe. Both remain in touch with the organization and both come back to Chester for games. The elder Aaronson was even back in Philadelphia for a game while his younger brother was in Honduras.

“Getting to grow up with all these guys -- me, Brandan, Quinn, and Jack -- knowing them since I was so young and getting to achieve such a milestone for your country, I know all of us take such pride in that," Aaronson said. "It was so great sharing the field in such a remarkable moment we'll remember forever.”

For McGlynn, this bond isn’t just limited to being better friends, but it has a direct role in how they play on the field too.

"We're all really good friends – so we have a really good connection on the field. And we show that every time we step on the field together,” McGlynn said while with the U-20 team. “We grew up together. Doing it with him and all the other Union guys - it's really special for us.”

Curtin closely watched the U.S. U-20’s run from back in the states. He recalls the ongoing discussion between the Union and U.S. Soccer over releasing the players for the tournament (club releases are never required for youth tournaments). Initially there were plans to let two of them go for the group stages and then swap them for two others in the knockouts. Eventually it was just agreed to release all four, despite it leaving the Union shorthanded for a month.

In the end, Curtin acknowledged that it was the right decision citing the exposure the players got and just the overall importance to the country of qualifying for the Olympics.

“Yeah, incredible. It was amazing and fun to watch,” Curtin said. “The success they had and the goals they scored was a different level – and then the importance of qualifying for the Olympics is something that's evaded our country since 2008… In hindsight, I think we made the right choice [to release the players].”

In particular, Curtin was most impressed with the maturity of his players in the semifinal come out of the gates strong to defeat Honduras in San Pedro Sula in front of a hostile crowd. It was the team’s most important game, and challenging game and all four Union players started. The opening goal was scored by Aaronson on a free kick assist from Craig. The final goal of the 3-0 win was scored by Sullivan.  

“There wasn't a lot of atmosphere at the stadiums but then all of a sudden it's like - boom - deal with this,” Curtin said of the semifinal win in San Pedro sula. . “It can be really, really intimidating to kind of go from 0 to 60 in terms of the crowd and the atmosphere. It could have been a trap, but they really set the tone and scored right away and just kind of really put the foot on the gas and put the foot on their throat and kept it there. It was really impressive.”

Welcome home boys ???? pic.twitter.com/wVtWQCOrWE

— PhilaUnion (@PhilaUnion) July 7, 2022

Of course, after the U.S. team defeated the Dominican Republic by a 6-0 score line in the final, a lot of attention shifted to the Union. It was a statement made by the club that it has a good handle on development and that the model in place is going to benefit both the Union first team and likely the national team into the future.

For Curtin, it is a source of pride.

“It really speaks to how much the club's grown,” Curtin said. “It speaks to us sticking to and believing in our philosophy. And again, a lot of positive press has come from it, for sure. It's also nice that our U-17 team just won. The work that they do in our academy has been amazing. I would say the European interest for these kids keeps getting higher and higher and they deserve it. They're good players…  Our kids are really good all over this country and certainly here in Philadelphia.”