Projecting the USA's 2026 World Cup Roster Following Losses To Portugal, Belgium
For better or worse, this part of the World Cup roster race has been run. With the United States mens national teams final two tuneups before coach Mauricio Pochettino names his final, 26-player squad for the 2026 U.S. co-hosted tournament now in the books, there are no more opportunities left for those hoping to get a congratulatory phone call from the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager to impress while wearing the Stars and Stripes. Poch and his staff will watch every club game for every candidate every week, no question. Theyll consider everything, from form to fitness to roles to chemistry on the field and off. Some decisions have probably been made. Others will go down the wire. The choices "are going to be painful, because in that process you always create emotional links," Pochettino said on Tuesday, after the Americans lost their first two games of the year to European powers Belgium and then Portugal. "They know its going to be a competition," he said. "Its going to be difficult only to pick 26." Coming out of the March window, who is most likely to make it? And which 11 players will line up for the USA when they kick off the competition June 12 against Paraguay in Los Angeles? This is my latest prediction: STRIKERS Starter:Folarin BalogunBackups: Patrick Agyemang,Ricardo Pepi,Haji WrightJust missed out: Josh Sargent Balogun went into the two games as the incumbent. And although the Monaco striker didnt score in either, nothing that happened against Belgium or Portugal has changed the pecking order up top. Need proof? Look no further than Pocherttinos decision to start Pulisic as a No. 9 in the latter. If he saw Agyemang or Pepi as potential World Cup starters, surely the Argentinewould have given one of them the assignment. Instead, Agyemang and Pepi came in as substitutes in both games, and combined on the formers well-taken consolation goal versus the Belgians. Ageymang also had a couple of bright moments against Portuguese; he might just have pulled ahead of Pepi as the first striker off the bench. Its also possible that Wright, who missed this camp because of a minor injury, remains ahead of both. ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS Starters:Christian Pulisic,Weston McKennie, Sergio DestBackups:Brenden Aaronson,Diego Luna,Malik TillmanJust missed out:Gio Reyna, Alex Zendejas Dont underestimate how much the U.S. in general and Pulisic in particular missed Dest, who remains out with a left hamstring tear that should be fully healed when it matters most. As unpredictable as he is skilled, the 2022 World Cup veterans presence on the right prevents teams from focusing solely on Pulisic still Americas most dangerous attacker when hes at the height of his powers on the opposite side. With no goals for club or country so far in 2026, Pulisic has been nowhere near his best. But hes still got more than two months left to find the sharpness that had the AC Milan star leading Italys Serie A in scoring earlier this season and head into the World Cup with momentum and renewed confidence. Theres no such worry for McKennie, who scored one of the USAs two goals last month. In a year, the Juventus standout has gone from Pochettinos dog house to the penthouse. He seems poised to have a monster World Cup. Tillman started both March games and probably helped himself. Hes not as strong defensively as Aaronson, Luna or the deeper-lying Johnny Cardoso (more on him in a minute), but he had some of the Americans' better moments going forward. He could start some games at the main event depending on the opponent. Reyna seemed World Cup-bound when Poch named him to the March roster despite his lack of playing time with Borussia Dortmund. Im not so sure after 31 ineffective minutes off the bench. Luna wasnt involved in March, having just returned from injury. Previously seen as a lock, his inclusion now feels closer to a coin-flip. Whether he survives the cut will depend largely on how he performs for MLS team Real Salt Lake over the next seven weeks. Then theres Zendejas, whos participated in only two camps since Pochettino was in late 2024. But the Club Amrica No. 10 scored a gorgeous game-winner over Japan last October and continues to be among the most consistently productive Americans playing anywhere in the world. HOLDING MIDFIELDERS Starters:Tyler Adams,Johnny CardosoBackups:Sebastian Berhalter, Cristian Roldan, Tanner TessmannJust missed out:Aidan Morris,Yunus Musah A huge part of the USAs struggles defensively in March came down to the absence of Adams, another key player who missed out with a minor ailment suffered playing for Premier League Bournemouth. Surely Pochettino is praying that the heart-and-soul destroyer for whom there is no comparable alternative is healthy and available this summer after an injury-plagued last few years. Cardoso logged just the opening 45 minutes of the opener before being sent back to Atltico Madrid to nurse a minor injury of his own. That mightve helped him: the U.S. stood toe-to-toe with Belgium while he was on the field, and the corner from which McKennie scored was created by a counterattack sprung by Johnnys deft turn-and-pass. Asked about Tessmann after that contest, Poch was frank. "I saw him play better games than today," the coach said. Alabama nativeTessmann remains a roster lock and comfortably ahead of Berhalter and Roldan. Berhalter played the last half-hour against Belgium and 79 minutes against Portugal. Roldan came off the bench in both. Morris got a start in the second match but probably didnt do enough to secure a place if everyone else is healthy. Meantime, Musah has now gone more than a year since his last callup. FULLBACKS Starters:Tim Weah, Antonee "Jedi" RobinsonBackups:Max Arfsten,Alex FreemanJust missed out: Joe Scally Previously considered a strength, right back has become a problem for Pochettino. He sees Dest a defensive starter in 2022 as a winger. Freeman isnt sharp; he played more in the national teams first two games of 2026 than he has since joining Spanish club Villarreal three-plus months ago. Versatile Bundesliga veteran Scally doesnt really seem to be Pochs cup of tea, though his comfort as a right center back could keep him in the mix. That leaves Weah. The natural winger isnt a perfect solution but might be the best one. The 26-year-old is massively experienced at right back, having manned the role at least 11 times for Marseille in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League this season and 10 for Juve the year before. Pochettino praised the job Weah did to contain Belgiums ace Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku, ruing the lack of defensive support he received from his fellow defenders. "It was a great opportunity for Tim," Poch said. "For me, he was good." Jedi is the clear lock on the left. He was one of the sharper U.S. players in March in his first international action since late 2024. But Arfsten, his deputy, looked over matched after subbing in for Robinson in both games. CENTER BACKS Starters:Chris Richards,Tim ReamBackups:Mark McKenzie, Auston TrustyJust missed out: Miles Robinson Richards helped steady a porous USA back line after missing the first match with a sore right knee. Hes the best American central defender by a mile. The 38-year-old Ream, Pochsfirst choice captain, had a rough outing against the Red Devils and was replaced by fellow lefty Trusty whose stock soared with a stout performance against Portugals all-world attack. Timing is everything at World Cups, and Trustys showing might well have leapfrogged him over Miles Robinson, who was unable to play in either match after straining his groin in training. The wildcard here is Hawaii-born, Germany-raised Noahkai Banks, who declined a March camp invite as he mulls whether to commit his international future to Die Mannschaft or the Red, White and Blue. GOALKEEPERS Starter:Matt FreeseBackups:Matt Turner, Chris BradyJust missed out:Roman Celentano,Jonathan Klinsmann,Diego Kochen, Patrick Schulte Freese all but certainly won the starting World Cup job with a stellar showing on Tuesday. Neither Portugal goal was his fault, and he made several incredible saves including this beauty to deny Seleo captain Bruno Fernandes. The New York City FC backstops presence and command of his 18-yard-box also stood out. It was easily the 27-year-old Harvard graduates best game for his country since making his international debut last June. Hes been in the net for 14 of the USAs 16 games since. "I think he has an amazing energy," Pochettino said of Freese even before the Portugal match. For a guy who allowed five goals, Turner played well against Belgium. The score line wouldve been even uglier had he not. Yet his distribution is still suspect; only an inadvertent Belgian handball prevented what wouldve been a goal originating directly from a wayward Tuner pass. Finally, multiple sources told me that the uncapped Brady, 22 has impressed U.S. keeper coaches Toni Jimenez and Jack Robinson and separated himself from the rest of the candidates for the third-string keeper role. Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports who has coveredUnited States men's and women's national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.
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