Milan Iloski scores hat-trick for Philadelphia, reaches 16 goals

Milan Iloski scored a hat-trick for the Philadelphia Union against Orlando and pushed his season total to 16 goals, further fueling interest from U.S. soccer officials while North Macedonia continues to wait for a definitive answer on his international future.

Iloski's form, the national team's silence and a clear stance from the coach

The 27-year-old forward netted three times in Philadelphia's victory over Orlando, bringing his tally to 16 goals this campaign. Nine of those strikes have come during the Union’s 12-match unbeaten run, underlining a purple patch of form for Iloski.

North Macedonia's national team has struggled to score—going five matches without a goal—and Iloski’s scoring streak drew attention not only from club fans but also from U.S. media and supporters. In a post-match interview Iloski said: "I am competitive. Everyone knows I am competitive. I'll push myself to whatever the highest level is. I see myself playing for the US at some point. I love this country and it would be an honor for me to represent it."

Coach Sedloski addressed Iloski's status when announcing the squad for the start of the Nations League. He said: "I wanted to call him for the match against Denmark.... in a conversation with Nikolche Noveski he then said that the priority and focus was to play for his club and to concentrate on whatever is happening there. Nikolche Noveski was instructed to stay in communication with him and the answer was that he would need more time to think. Up to the day of the announcement of the squad, the FFM had received no reply from Iloski on this matter. We will not beg anyone to play for Macedonia."

The available facts confirm Iloski has only been contacted by the Football Federation of North Macedonia; there has been no official call-up for him to accept or decline. With American interest growing and Iloski openly saying he could represent the United States, the situation remains unresolved.

For North Macedonia the wider lesson is tactical and administrative: quality forwards in form can change a national side’s prospects, and the federation faces a choice between patience and more active recruitment. Some voices argue the FFM should send a delegation to Philadelphia to open direct talks rather than rely on secondary reports.

José Roberto Nuñez shared coverage of Iloski’s interview and statistics on social media, noting the hat-trick and the player’s comments about the United States (post dated September 27, 2026).

Photo: press material from the event