USMNT Calls Up Castaneda for November Break

Midfielder Santiago Castaneda earns a national team call-up as the U.S. prepares for CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal play against Haiti.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Soccer

USMNT Calls Up Castaneda for November Break

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Mauricio Pochettino named 25 players for the November international break, including 21-year-old midfielder Santiago Castaneda, who is a newcomer to the national team. The squad also includes Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, who returned after missing the four friendlies last month.

Why it matters

The call-up gives the U.S. a look at a young midfielder with international eligibility options while the team prepares for its CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Haiti. Castaneda's path from Tampa to the German top flight highlights the growing pipeline of American-developed players competing abroad.

Castaneda logged over 2,300 minutes in his first professional season at Duisburg and more than 2,100 minutes in both the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons at Paderborn. His eligibility question remains open, as he would be cap-tied to the United States if he enters a competitive match.

The players

Mauricio Pochettino

The head coach of the United States men's national team, who named the November squad and oversees the program's push toward the next major tournaments.

Santiago Castaneda

A 21-year-old midfielder born in Tampa who plays for Paderborn in the Bundesliga and is eligible to represent Colombia or the United States.

The details

Castaneda was born in Tampa, Florida, to a father from Medellin, Colombia, who played professionally for Comunicaciones FC, and a mother from Cali, Colombia. He began his club career with Tampa Bay United of MLS Next, won a state title with Tampa Prep, and turned down a collegiate offer from Michigan to sign with MSV Duisburg after being spotted in Denmark.

2004: Castaneda is born in Tampa, Florida.
Summer 2024: Castaneda joins Paderborn on a free transfer.
November 2026: The USMNT plays Haiti during the international break.
Next spring: The team aims for a continental title run after the Nations League.

Season Trajectory

Castaneda's rise follows the path Christian Pulisic blazed when he moved from the U.S. youth system to Borussia Dortmund in 2016. His progression at Paderborn, now in the Bundesliga, adds another American-developed midfielder to a pipeline that U.S. coaches increasingly rely on.

Castaneda's call-up matters for fantasy and roster watchers because a debut appearance would start his cap count and lock in his international eligibility. Fans tracking the Nations League bracket can follow the Haiti match as the first step toward the next continental title push.

The takeaway

Castaneda's journey shows that young American players can build professional careers in Europe and still be considered for the national team. Watch his minutes at Paderborn as a signal of whether he is ready for a competitive USMNT appearance.

What happens next

The USMNT plays Haiti in the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals during the November international break, and the team's continental title run follows next spring.