The Union had a dismal start to the 2026 MLS<\/a> season, sitting last in league standings by the time the World Cup break hit and forcing the departure of 2025 MLS Coach of the Year Bradley Carnell; however, they\u2019ve now found their form with some young talents, specifically relying on Pierre, who has been a revelation in recent weeks under interim manager Ryan Richter.<\/p>\n In just his second MLS appearance on July 22, the 18-year-old 6’5″ center back made his physically-imposing presence known with a goal against Red Bull New York<\/a>, helping his side to a 3\u20131 victory.<\/p>\n Neil Pierre with the finish and @PhilaUnion<\/a> equalize in the dying moments \ud83d\ude31 pic.twitter.com\/zDY0P0eTH3<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n On Saturday night, he scored his second-career goal, heading home a cross from Kai Wagner in stoppage time to help the Union claw back from a 2\u20130 deficit against Atlanta United<\/a> to win 3\u20132. Pierre\u2019s late heroics leveled the score and provided the momentum for 20-year-old Ghanaian striker Ezekiel Alladoh to score the go-ahead winner a minute later.\u00a0On the other side of the ball, Pierre ended the night with seven defensive contributions and four headed clearances.<\/p>\n Featuring in all three of the Union\u2019s games since the return from the international break, Pierre\u2019s aerial prowess and defensive physicality has been integral to the team securing nine points and beginning its ascent up the standings, now 13th of 16 Eastern Conference teams and seven points away from the cutoff for the MLS Cup playoffs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Who is Neil Pierre? Neil Pierre (left) spent the first six months of the year in Denmark. | Philadelphia Union<\/p>\n A towering defender\u2014with potentially still room to grow, Pierre is an intriguing prospect for the USMNT<\/a>, especially as he finds his footing in MLS.<\/p>\n Having represented the U.S. at the youth levels, he is also eligible to represent Haiti at the senior level. Last season, he inked a homegrown contract with the Union after making 33 appearances with the team\u2019s MLS Next Pro affiliate, Philadelphia Union II, where he scored two goals and helped the team make a run to the league final.\u00a0<\/p>\n While the defender wasn\u2019t an attacking force in MLS Next Pro, his goalscoring ability blossomed on loan through the first six months of 2026, when he scored four goals in 10 games with Danish first division side Lyngby, before rejoining the Union this summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n A native of Lebanon, Pa., Pierre has already been linked to prominent European clubs, like FC Barcelona, and given he is 18 years old, he is eligible to join them anytime, unlike Sullivan, who must wait two more years before moving to Manchester City.\u00a0<\/p>\n There\u2019s already a blossoming precedent for young center backs in MLS as well, with the Premier League\u2019s Hull City reportedly set to offer the Colorado Rapids <\/a>upwards of $18 million to acquire 18-year-old Australian defender Lucas Herrington, which could break the MLS outgoing transfer record. Pierre might not be too far behind, as he continues to rack up minutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s another weapon that the team has,\u201d Richter told reporters Saturday. \u201cHe\u2019s super dangerous on set pieces… It\u2019s not only just his size and his athleticism, but it\u2019s his timing, his technique and his bravery and the positions that he puts himself in, and the way that he\u2019s willing to attack the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone can see the way that he\u2019s matured and the way that he reads the game, the way that he chooses moments when he needs to go aggressive and step into midfield or release off the back line, and moments where he has to come in more of a cover position, and it\u2019s not time to be aggressive,\u201d he added. \u201cSo he has a lot of great tools, and it\u2019s about keeping him pushing and keeping his focus every day and every game, and hopefully he can continue to get better.\u201d<\/p>\n Should the USMNT Call Up Pierre? Neil Pierre has played for the U.S. at the youth level but is also eligible for Haiti. | Isaiah Vazquez\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The USMNT will have holes to fill in the center back position, with the team likely moving on from 38-year-old veteran captain Tim Ream. As such, there could be a chance to look at long-term replacements, like Pierre or 19-year-old German-American dual national Noahkai Banks<\/a>, who plays in the Bundesliga with FC Augsburg.\u00a0<\/p>\n Given both are dual nationals, getting them cap-tied could be seen as a priority for U.S. Soccer, and the team would have the chance to start that process in November when it competes in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals.<\/p>\n Banks is undoubtedly ready for the USMNT spotlight. Pierre is more of a future project, yet he offers physical elements rivaled by no other. Both are worthwhile calls.<\/p>\n Whether or not Mauricio Pochettino manages the team into the 2030 World Cup cycle<\/a>, there\u2019s plenty of hope for the future. If Pierre isn\u2019t soon called up to the senior team, he will likely be present on the under-23 squad bound for the LA 2028 Olympics.<\/p>\n READ THE LATEST MLS NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FC![\"Neil](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01kz0q3w7crp72nvv0aa.jpg\" "\\"Neil")
<\/p>\n![\"Neil](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01kz0q63bbar3cx4qe4j.jpg\" "\\"Neil")
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