Noahkai Banks may be making a big impression in the Bundesliga this season, but the young defender won’t be making a trip to the World Cup this summer, according to Alexi Lalas.
Banks has become a regular starter this season for Augsburg at age 19. The 6-foot-4 defender is considered one of the best American defensive prospects in many years and has earned one U.S. men’s national team call-up.
‘I saw him playing in Germany, and he’s a massive talent,’ USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino said after naming Banks to his roster for September friendlies against South Korea and Japan.
‘You never know how he can explode — maybe at the end of the season he can be the best center back in Europe or in Germany.’
Banks did not participate in either match and wasn’t called up for the USMNT’s remaining four matches last fall.
That lack of experience may end up proving costly for Banks’ World Cup hopes. As the USMNT prepares for two final matches in March before the World Cup roster is named, Lalas thinks it may already be too late for the talented teenager.
‘So we’re going to start the World Cup with somebody that doesn’t have a single minute playing for the U.S. men’s national team? I don’t think that’s off base for me to be wary of that, or me to be skeptical of that actually happening.’
Lalas was responding to co-host Stu Holden, who tipped Banks for a potential World Cup spot.
‘He has great size,’ the former USMNT midfielder said. ‘I know he’s 19 years old, but his experience that he’s picking up right now, it’s such a high level. He has a lot of tools that I don’t see anywhere else in the center back pool.’
But Lalas said the March games against Belgium and Portugal won’t be the time for experimenting.
‘According to Pochettino, it’s as if the World Cup just started,’ he said. ‘So I want the best 11 playing in whatever formation it is that you believe we are going to play in the World Cup.
‘And so I don’t understand what leads Stu or others to believe that Pochettino is going to have this player that nobody has seen actually play for the U.S. before not only be there, but in many cases start.’
Lalas added: ‘I’m excited about Noahkai Banks, don’t get me wrong. … Starting consistently over there for a young player is a good thing for the future.’