FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — For Adri Mehmeti, Wednesday morning offered a glimpse of what his own future might look like. The 17-year-old sat beside Tyler Adams, a player whose path from the New York Red Bulls to the U.S. men’s national team closely mirrors the one Mehmeti is beginning to follow.
Mehmeti is expected to earn his first senior national team cap during the next two weeks, capping a breakout season with the Red Bulls. His composure in possession has fueled the belief that he could become the USMNT’s holding midfielder of the future. Adams received a similar opportunity nine years ago, joining his first camp at 18 after emerging with the same club and carrying comparable expectations.
“It’s a big step for me,” Mehmeti said. “Coming in with all these young guys and experienced guys, being able to learn [from] them, seeing the different characters and how it blends into the style that the U.S. wants to play, it’s been great. It’s a big jump. It’s going to take some time to get used to.”
Adams was already familiar with Mehmeti and fellow Red Bulls teenager Julian Hall before the camp began. He had heard about both players when they were still in middle school and progressing through the club’s academy. Now, Adams has emphasized that he is available to help, reminding the young players that mistakes are a necessary part of growth.
“Every single player that’s got called into this camp has the potential to become a really good player,” Adams said. “It’s about going through that process.”
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Even among the camp’s promising young players, Mehmeti stands out as someone with the potential to become special—though that is a weighty label for a 17-year-old still at the beginning of his development.
The Staten Island native remains only 17, and plenty of growth lies ahead. Still, his technical quality and ability to distribute from central midfield are evident. Those strengths could also complement Adams’ defensive instincts if the two are given an opportunity to play together during the next two weeks.
“Watching him at the highest levels, you can see the character that he has, the personality. What he’s willing to do with and without the ball, watching him be a role model for me,” Mehmeti said. “Because hopefully one day I can take a similar pathway that he’s taken.”
So far, Mehmeti appears to be off to an impressive start.