When USMNT fans think of key cornerstones of the current iteration of the national team, they might be quick to consider the role that Christian Pulisic and others like Weston McKennie have played.
Not many might think of Leeds United winger/attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson. But he is arguably one of the most important and long-standing members of this current generation of USMNT football.
From the Philadelphia Union and Champions League football ...
Aaronson got his start in football through the Philadelphia Union system before joining the senior team in 2019. He played two seasons with Philadelphia, making 57 total appearances for the club while scoring seven goals. Following his time in Philadelphia, Aaronson signed with Austrian Bundesliga side Red Bull Salzburg. He made his debut for the club during the second half of the 2020-21 campaign.
During his time in Salzburg, Aaronson helped the club win consecutive domestic league titles while also securing a spot in the Champions League knockout rounds for the first time in their history. That 2021-22 Champions League season saw Red Bull Salzburg finish second in a group that also included Ligue 1 champions Lille and perennial Europa League winners Sevilla. In the last 16, Red Bull Salzburg held German champions Bayern Munich to a draw in the opening leg, though they would end up losing the second match 7-1; Aaronson contributed to the goal in the first leg.
... to Leeds United and Union Berlin
After the conclusion of Red Bull Salzburg's successful 2021-22 campaign, Aaronson joined Premier League side Leeds United via transfer. He struggled in his first season with the club, scoring just once in 40 total appearances during the 2022-23 campaign.
His time with Leeds United was split in two by a loan to Bundesliga side Union Berlin, who finished fourth in the league last season while also getting to the last 16 in the Europa League. Aaronson made 38 appearances while scoring two goals. He appeared in all six Champions League contests as well as 30 Bundesliga games. That 2023-24 campaign saw Union Berlin finish just seven goals above VfL Bochum, who contested that season's promotion/relegation playoff, bow out of the Champions League in the group stage (though they did secure a 1-1 draw with Serie A champions Napoli), and lose to VfB Stuttgart in the second round of the DFB-Pokal.
The conclusion of his loan would see Aaronson's form start to return. He scored nine goals in 46 matches during Leeds United's Championship campaign, helping them to win the league and secure promotion to the Premier League. Leeds United's return to the Premier League saw them capitalize on strong home form to secure safety from relegation. Aaronson also made four appearances in the FA Cup as Leeds United made it to the semifinals, ultimately losing 1-0 to Chelsea.
So far this season, Aaronson has made six appearances, four of which have come in Premier League action; the lone goal scored thus far came in the EFL Cup.
BRENDEN AARONSON GOAL FOR LEEDS UNITED 🇺🇸
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) September 9, 2026
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Despite low goal-scoring in recent years, Aaronson knows how to play in the big games
Those who might claim that Aaronson's value for the USMNT isn't as significant as that of Pulisic might point to his goal totals, and they would make a fair point in doing so. That said, Aaronson has big-game experience that not many of his fellow countrymen would get the opportunity to have. He's already won league titles. He's also been in the Champions League twice and been part of deep cup runs.
Even though that experience has come at the club level, it still matters. Knowing how to perform in the big title-deciding games is still valuable in terms of helping a national team win a group stage match or get the goals required to secure a knockout round berth. That's experience that has benefited the USMNT in the past; Aaronson's continued inclusion in the national team could help future stars gain confidence in big international contests and, by extension, push the USMNT closer to the upper echelon of footballing nations.
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