ORLANDO – Two years ago, he was drafted in the MLS SuperDraft. A year later, he was in MLS NEXT Pro, with one MLS start to his name.
Now he is a starting striker for a good MLS team and he just lit up the USMNT January camp.
Charlotte FC striker Patrick Agyemang made his U.S. Men’s National Team debut over the weekend in a friendly against Venezuela.
He scored before halftime. Then he scored in extra time on Wednesday night against Costa Rica.
The goals were very similar and would be familiar to those who saw him score 10 in league play last year.
The USMNT started transition play in midfield, drifted away from his marker, and had a cool finish to score.
How Did Patrick Agyemang Get Here?
Agyemang has had a Darrel Dike-like rise.
On top of playing four years of college soccer, Agyemang also spent a summer sharpening his skills with USL League Two side Western Mass Pioneers.
His talent earned him a spot in the MLS SuperDraft, where he was selected by Charlotte FC. Following a year of development in MLS NEXT Pro, he broke into the first team and hasn’t looked back since.
Though SuperDraft may be an afterthought for many, it continues to produce a star in the making every year.
Dubbed “the Agyemang Hive,” the Connecticut native has become well-liked by Charlotte supporters and general MLS watchers.
He is 6’4″, strong, athletic, and has a signature move to score goals. With all the physical attributes you would want in a No. 9, he now just needs to put more film together.
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What Does 2025 Have in Store for Patrick Agyemang?
Charlotte were a force to be reckoned with last year in a stacked MLS Eastern Conference. They’ve spent big on DPs and foreign players, but Agyemang will absolutely be part of their plans as they aim to take the next step.
With Dean Smith, Tim Ream, and now Wilfried Zaha at the club, they have the attention of European scouts.
Agyemang’s national team performances have put him on their radar, and his trajectory could mirror what Dike or Duncan McGuire experienced. If Charlotte want to compete with teams like LA Galaxy for the MLS Cup, they’ll need their forward in top form.
Another 15-goal contributions in league play like last year, and Europe will come calling. Is he a national team starter yet? No. January camp doesn’t cement that.
But he’s definitely in the conversation for future call-ups – especially if he keeps scoring goals like the ones we’ve seen with his club.
How Does Patrick Agyemang Stack up in the USMNT Pool?
Agyemang offers something different for Mauricio Pochettino.
He’s not quite the poacher Florian Balogun or Ricardo Pepi are. He can hold up the ball, but he’s not a lumbering centre forward who relies on crosses into the box like Haji Wright. The American has got a hybrid skillset that Poch and his staff will definitely value.
The key now is proving that his first year in top-flight football wasn’t a fluke. Performing well against teams like Miami, and Columbus, and in the playoffs will go a long way in boosting his stock.
Poch will surely give him feedback – what he did well (not just the goals) and where he needs to improve (possession, link-up play).
If Agyemang sharpens those areas and continues playing regularly, he has a real shot at making the preliminary roster for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Follow that with a move to Europe where he sees consistent minutes or stay in MLS and keep banging in goals, and he’ll be firmly in the conversation for the senior roster.
Is Agyemang likely to make the squad for the 2026 World Cup? Probably not. But crazier things have happened 18 months out from a major tournament for the United States.