When forward Julian Hall made his U.S. men’s national team debut, he did so with a name on his jersey that his new audience may not have recognized: Zakrzewski.
Hall had his matronymic middle name on the back of his jersey rather than his last, a nod to his Polish heritage. The 18-year-old was born and raised in New York to an American father and Polish mother and has worn Zakrzewski on the back of his jersey for the entirety of his career, which began with his senior debut for Red Bull New York at the age of 15 in Sept. 2023.
The forward’s national team debut was a memorable one, he scored and notched an assist off the bench in the USMNT’s 4-1 win over Peru on and became the third-youngest player to register an assist for the U.S. team in the modern era. He was one of 11 players who earned their first cap for the national team against Peru as head coach Mauricio Pochettino oversees a generational shift of the national team player pool. Fellow teenager Justin Ellis opened the scoring in the fourth minute, while World Cup players Malik Tillman and Sebastian Berhalter rounded out the scoring.
Hall joined the USMNT for his debut in the midst of a breakout season with the Red Bulls, with whom he has 13 goals and three assists across all competitions.
Hall’s international eligibility
Hall’s heritage means he is eligible to represent both the U.S. and Poland, and the forward has yet to formally commit to either national team. In an interview with the New York Post earlier this month, Hall said his future was “definitely not solidified” despite receiving a call-up to the USMNT, and the Polish Football Association has already attempted to recruit the player. President Cezary Kulesza met Hall’s mother Agnieszka in New York in April and presented her with a Poland jersey with Zakrzewski on the back, later posting the photo on social media.
Days before reporting to his first USMNT camp, though, Hall said Poland had not been in contact for their upcoming matches, and he was focused solely on performing for the U.S. team.
“No,” he said last week in response to whether or not Poland had been in touch. “I just wanted to take this opportunity that presented itself with the U.S., and when I go there, I’m going to do as much as I can to make an impact and do well.”
Hall, who has only represented the USMNT at youth levels, is not cap-tied with his appearance in Saturday’s win, but he could be after playing three games for the senior national team or in his first appearance in official competition.
