During the most recent international window, the United States Men’s National Team enjoyed a successful two-leg series against Jamaica in the CONCACAF Nations League, triumphing on aggregate (1-0, 4-2) and advancing to the semifinal round. However, a particular note of interest is the roster inclusion of a highly-rated prospect from one of the world’s storied clubs, despite his continued wait for a senior debut. Diego Kochen is developing at Barcelona and has been consistently named to the match-day squad while also competing with the reserves. The 18-year-old goalkeeper appears to be on track for a big career, but there are many challenges that he will face along the way.
Born in Miami, Florida, Kochen played with Weston FC and West Pines United at the youth level, winning the Golden Glove at the 2017 Prospects Cup after impressing with “some incredible saves” and falling in the final to Manchester City. He then relocated with his family to Spain and began competing with Marcet Football Academy and TecnoFootball CF, improving in “technical, tactical, and emotional aspects.” The goalkeeper joined Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy in the summer of 2019, although the move came as a surprise.
Diego Kochen, de 14 años, es un arquero de raíces peruanas que nació en Estados Unidos. También cuenta con ascendencia venezolana. Milita en las canteras del Barcelona: La Masía. La FPF lo sigue. Ágil y maduro. Hace tres años demostró sus cualidades en la Prospects Cup. ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/WJKJYLL6WC
— Renzo Galiano (@RenzoGaliano) August 31, 2020
“The truth is that I don’t know where and when the Barça scouts noticed me, but it must have been in one of the games I played with Marcet,” Kochen said. “What I do know is that I was the last one to find out about Barça’s interest, since my parents didn’t tell me until the end. They finally told me at home, right after a training session at Marcet. Obviously, I felt a great joy. I couldn’t believe it! I was speechless for a few minutes. Being part of the best team in the world is like a dream. It is an honor, but also a great responsibility.”
After starting with Infantil A on a three-year deal, Kochen was quickly promoted to Cadet B, won the league with several outstanding performances, and began featuring on the bench for the reserves in December of 2022 – the club subsequently extended his youth contract. Last season, he made a single appearance with the U-19 group in the UEFA Youth League, finding himself on the wrong side of a shootout loss to Mainz in the intermediate stage, and another match with the second team in a 4-1 loss to Unionistas CF, having learned “a lot about positioning.” Despite dealing with a back injury, the club often included him in the match-day roster for the senior squad in the Champions League, La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de España. Barcelona signed him to a long-term contract through June of 2028, viewing him as a project.
This season, Kochen is receiving regular playing time with FC Barcelona Atlètic in Group 1 of the third-tier Primera Federación. Thus far, he has made six appearances while being forced to miss a few fixtures due to a left hamstring injury and international duty. However, despite the installation of Hansi Flick, the new manager continues to regularly include him on the bench for the first-team squad, with the goalkeeper earning praise for his “outrageous stops in matches and training sessions.” Media has identified him as the “big long-term bet” for the future, sharing a depth chart with his “idol,” Marc-André Ter Stegen.
At the international level, Kochen is eligible to represent Peru, Venezuela, and the United States. Despite reportedly being contacted by La Bicolor (The Bicolour) and receiving an overture from Spain due to friendly naturalization rules, he has featured regularly for his birth nation, beginning with the U-16 group in 2022, followed by call-ups for the U-17 and U-19 teams that included winning the 2022 UEFA Development Tournament. His first senior inclusion came during the September international window, succeeded by Mauricio Pochettino naming him to the roster for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal series against Jamaica.
Kochen stands six-foot-two and has been described as “one of the most promising bets for the future of goalkeeping” at Barcelona. He possesses a high level of athleticism and is, as expected, comfortable with the ball at his feet when building out of the back, having improved “in the aerial game, stretches, and reaction times.” Observers praise him for being “excellent in one-on-one situations” along with demonstrating strength with “agility, reflexes, and technical concepts” alongside “total command of footwork.”
“Diego is the most complete American goalkeeping prospect I have seen play at his age,” wrote Marcus Chairez for Chasing a Cup. “His positioning on shot contact is very good, his reaction time is very good and his explosiveness is outstanding. His decision making, from what I have seen, is very good and he controls the box well. He usually makes the right decision on when to leave the box to punch or high point the ball and he is very aggressive when he makes that decision. He is also extremely adept at playing the sweeper-keeper role and he is very good with the ball at his feet. His touch is tidy and his passing is smooth and accurate.”
There could be an argument made that Kochen is too young and inexperienced for USMNT call-ups, but there is some value in slowly bringing him into the program considering his potential. He has time to grow and develop, although only the current management at Barcelona knows how close the young goalkeeper is to a debut. At some point, his options will be first-team minutes, going out on loan, or leaving the club entirely, which could still be a few years away. For now, observers can enjoy the projection and speculation while hoping to watch an American starting at the Camp Nou.