Connect with us

We Speak Soccer

Cooper Sanchez named to MLS’ 2026 22 Under 22 list

Published

1 week ago

on

Major League Soccer today unveiled the full 2026 22 Under 22 class highlighting the best young domestic and international players across the league. Players were voted on by an expert panel of MLS coaches, general managers, sporting directors, MLS on Apple TV talent, and select media. Atlanta United midfielder Cooper Sanchez ranks No. 18 on the list amidst a breakout 2026 season and has recorded five assists in 27 appearances (22 starts) in 1,777 minutes of MLS action.

Sanchez, 18, signed a Homegrown contract on Aug. 5, 2025. He made his First Team debut as a substitute in a Leagues Cup match against Atlas on Aug. 6, 2025, and his MLS debut on Sept. 13 against Columbus Crew. He scored his first goal with Atlanta United’s First Team in a U.S. Open Cup win on April 28.

The midfielder joined the Atlanta United Academy in 2018 and was part of the 2023 U-16 side that went 22-1-1 in the Regular Season and took home the MLS NEXT Cup, where he scored in a 3-1 victory over Strikers FC in the title match. He made his professional debut with Atlanta United 2 in MLS NEXT Pro on April 22, 2023 against Chicago Fire 2, becoming the youngest player in club history to appear for ATL UTD 2 (15 years, 27 days). He signed a professional contract with ATL UTD 2 on July 2, 2024 and scored his first professional goal against Huntsville City FC in a 2-0 win. The midfielder made 28 appearances in MLS NEXT Pro and recorded one goal and two assists.

At the international level, Sanchez has made five appearances for the U.S. U-20s and previously made two appearances for the U.S. U-18s and 10 appearances for the U.S. U-17s, including three appearances at the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He was part of the U-20 squad that qualified for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan this summer with a runner-up finish at the 2026 Concacaf U-20 Championship.

Topping the 2026 list is Philadelphia Union and U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Cavan Sullivan, who, at 17 years and 22 days old, becomes the youngest player to ever earn the No. 1 ranking, surpassing Alphonso Davies’ previous record of 17 years and 355 days (2018).

The 2026 22 Under 22 class highlights the next generation of MLS talent, with 16 clubs represented and an average player age of approximately 20 years old. The class underscores the continued impact of MLS player development pathways, with 17 players having competed in MLS NEXT, 16 in MLS NEXT Pro and 15 signing Homegrown contracts.

The group also boasts significant international experience, with 12 players earning senior national team call-ups for a combined 39 international appearances. Cavan Sullivan, Julian Hall, Adri Mehmeti, Justin Ellis, Peyton Miller, Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield all debuted for the United States during the latest international window, while South African defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi leads the class with 15 senior caps, including four appearances at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Manu Duah, Ronald Donkor, and Bruno Caicedo have also earned senior national team call-ups for Ghana and Ecuador, respectively.

To be eligible for voting, players had to remain 21 or younger before Decision Day on November 7, 2026 and therefore must have been born after November 8, 2004. The all-time 22 Under 22 winners are below. Note: Prior to 2018, the list was known as the 24 Under 24.

Atlanta United Communications

More from We Speak Media
Related Topics:
Continue Reading

We Speak Soccer

Match recap: Unforced errors cost Atlanta United in loss to Chicago Fire

Published

3 days ago

on

October 24, 2026

By

Against the top teams in the conference, a mistake-free match isn’t a nice-to-have but an imperative for success. The 5-Stripes created and converted on the attacking end twice, but a pair of defensive miscues in the second half were costly enough to decide the match. Atlanta United fell 3-2 to Chicago Fire in their penultimate home match of the 2026 season.

What happened

The 5-Stripes jumped out the gate with purpose, pushing forward on the right side with Tomás Jacob overlapping attackers. He was to thank for the earliest goal of Atlanta United’s season, finding room on the right side of the box from a keen through ball from Miguel Almirón. The Paraguayan had picked the ball up from midfield and dribbled all the way to the edge of the box before dishing it across to Jacob, who finished with power past Chris Brady in the 4th minute.

Chicago tried their hand at possession to settle into the match, but Atlanta United were chaotic in defense and eager to win the ball back. That early energy dissipated as the visitors kept pressing, and the Fire jumped out to

Philip Zinckernagel hit the crossbar on a rogue attempt from the left side of the box in the 25th minute that Lucas Hoyos may have gotten a touch on. Chicago did eventually find an equalizer in the 30th minute. The ball fell outside the box after a corner kick, and a crisp strike on the half volley from Anton Salétros snuck through defenders and past Hoyos.

Paulo Díaz had to make a sliding stop to prevent a possible second for Chicago in the 32nd minute, putting his body on the line to block a shot inside the box.

Breel Embolo had a great look saved by Brady in the 35th minute, as Mauricio Amaro did some lovely work to get the ball into a dangerous area. His cross was driven low, and the Swiss forward struck the ball cleanly but right at the Chicago keeper. The U.S. international picked up an injury making the save, though he carried on.

The 5-Stripes finished out the half with vigor, and Embolo scored a goal in what would eventually be ruled an offside run by Jacob before playing the cross to his forward. Things were starting to heat up just as the referee blew the whistle for halftime.

Chicago missed an open net on the first real chance of the second half, as Maren Haile-Selassie skied a chance with no one in goal. A minute later, the 5-Stripes gifted them a second goal. Substitute Anzor Mekvabishvili turned in a simple finish after winning a tackle and intercepting a routine pass at the back from Hoyos, leaving the 5-Stripes with a frustrating 2-1 deficit.

Atlanta United surrendered an indirect free kick in the 57th minute when Hoyos picked up a back pass from Elías Báez. It left Chicago with a rare free kick inside of the 6-yard box, which after a flurry of whistle restarts for players jumping too early, they dispatched for 3-1. Zinckernagel was the man to roof the ball into the net.

The 5-Stripes got one back 10 minutes later in the 67th when Breel Embolo thumped a header past Brady. Báez put in a whipped cross to the forward, whose header was pure to bring Atlanta United back into the match.

Atlanta’s striker broke away in the 70th minute and missed a golden opportunity to level the scoring. Embolo ran onto a deep clearance and got one-on-one with the keeper. but couldn’t wrap his foot around the ball. He missed the frame of the goal wide right.

So it was the hosts pressing for an equalizer down the stretch, playing a daring high line and going for points they desperately needed. They got five minutes of stoppage time to pull it off, but Chicago’s low-block defending was enough to finish off the match, and the 5-Stripes lost 3-2.

Standouts

  • Miguel Almirón continued his bright post-World-Cup form with another goal contribution, an assist where he brought the ball from midfield and ushered it to Tomás Jacob for the first goal. It was Almirón’s 15th MLS match with multiple chances created since the break, tying him with Carles Gil for most such by any MLS player in that time.

Milestones

  • Miguel Almirón became Atlanta United’s outright leader in assists on the season with 8.
  • Mauricio Amaro picked up his first two assists with the 5-Stripes with a secondary assist on both of the goals.

Up next

Atlanta United hits the road for a midweek match against New York City FC. They’ll need to pick up points to stay alive in the playoff race. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET Wednesday, October 28 at Citi Field in Queens.

More from We Speak Media
Continue Reading

Trending