In recent years, the Union’s development plan has been defined by groups of brothers.

The Aaronsons (Brenden and Paxten) moved from Medford to the first team in Europe. The Sullivans (Cavan and Quinn) have made history by playing together like the Aaronsons never did.

Next on the conveyor belt are the Pierre brothers, albeit with a different twist. While older brother Nelson Pierre finds his way in the world of soccer away from Philadelphia, younger brother Neil Pierre is one of the Union’s most promising Academy products, at the center of the Union’s current playoff run. Union II.

Their travels have diversified as each reached their late teens. But the Union’s 2025 season could begin with both players in camp competing for first-team minutes.

That the family has produced a speedy forward and a tough center seems the product of countless home duels in Harrisburg.

“A lot of 1-on-1s,” Nelson said recently. “A couple of fights, a couple of objects thrown. Yeah, it was fun.”

Nelson was the pioneer. The forward joined Union Academy in 2014, in the YSC Academy class of 2023. In February before graduating, he signed for the first team, the twentieth local team in the club’s history.

Nelson’s move to YSC was a change for Neil, who was in fourth grade when the family moved to Blue Bell.

“I was very happy for him,” Neil said. “He is achieving his goals. That was his first step. It was like, okay, I’m following in his footsteps. “I can have him as a mentor.”

It hasn’t worked out for Nelson yet. He scored five goals in 20 games (seven starts) in MLS Next Pro in 2022, then four goals and four assists in almost twice as many minutes in 2023. With first-team minutes not forthcoming, the Union loaned him to Swedish club Skovde AIK for 2024. That move didn’t work out, Pierre was limited to 102 minutes in the Swedish Cup and no league games.

He was recalled in August and sent to USL side Charlotte Independence, where he scored one goal in eight appearances totaling just 89 minutes. Nelson logged 222 minutes of action for the club in a pivotal year of development before turning 20 in March. He featured prominently on Haiti’s under-20 team at the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship in July. But the obstacles in Nelson’s path have also meant an adjustment for Neil.

“At first, I was really happy for him because he was going to Europe,” Neil said. “That is another of its objectives. But now I feel at home and I miss my brother. It’s starting to dawn on me now that I’m resting at home with no one to be with. But I’m proud of him.”

In Philadelphia, Neil has continued to flourish. He was part of the back-to-back adidas U-17 Generation Cup champions for Union Academy in 2023 and 2024, named to the MLS Best XI this year. He signed his first professional contract in July 2023 with Unión II when he was just 15 years old and has already played more than 2,400 minutes at that level.

He scored two goals in seven games last year and has one assist in 22 games (20 starts) this year. His 1,828 minutes were fifth for Union II, which finished second in the Eastern Conference. He has gone the distance in both of Union II’s playoff games and is likely to start Saturday when the club hosts Columbus Crew 2 at Subaru Park for the Eastern Conference final.

Pierre, who turned 17 on October 19 and is 6ft 5in tall, has played as much as Olwethu Makhanya, signed last summer to the first team on an Under-22 Initiative deal. Many at the club consider Pierre to be more prepared, even at his age.

“You look at Neil and it’s easy to forget that he just turned 16 because he stands out above everyone,” Union II coach Marlon LeBlanc said. “He is still very, very young. He is incredibly talented. He has the profile for a center back and at such a young age to bring him in and make him experience the success he has had has been fantastic.”

“If you think back to the beginning of preseason, when Neil was thrown into the deep end against Flamengo in Fort Lauderdale, he really rose to the occasion,” Jim Curtin said. “He played a very good half against as good competition as a 16-year-old can see at that time. He did a great job. I think he is getting better every week with Unión II.”

LeBlanc calls Pierre “mature beyond his years.” He has been a staple of youth teams, making 13 appearances at four levels, from Under-15 to Under-19. His position within the talent pool is such that he was captain of the under-16 team on two occasions.

“At first I was a little surprised, but it was a very happy experience, a good experience,” he said. “I’m happy to still be with them.”

Neil Pierre remains committed to the United States, although his parents may follow Nelson to Haiti: “The United States is treating me very well and I am playing with them, so far so good,” he said. He had one assist in two starts in the October window with the U19s.

Center back is one of the positions that the Union has developed successfully in the past, through Auston Trusty and Mark McKenzie. With a huge defensive regression this season — his 55 goals tied the franchise record en route to missing the playoffs — the defensive corps needs at least an overhaul.

Neil Pierre could be one of the answers.

“I think Neil fits that mold where you can’t teach 6ft 5in and presence at the back but also the ability to pass the ball through the lines, dribble when necessary, make a difficult challenge. Curtin said. “So he ticks a lot of boxes and certainly also has a lot of physical attributes that are attractive.”