Largest winners from the USMNT’s undefeated January camp

The United States males’s nationwide workforce completed its first January camp beneath Mauricio Pochettino undefeated regardless of not having its greatest XI because of the camp falling outdoors a FIFA worldwide window.

With various USMNT gamers not simply taking part in however thriving in Europe, it is going to be a problem for U.S.-based gamers to crack the 2026 World Cup roster, however there have been just a few standouts from this camp that improved their case with lower than 16 months till kick-off.

Listed below are the most important winners from the January camp and a have a look at the place they stand among the many remainder of the participant pool:

I believe Patrick Agyemang was one of many large winners over the course of those two video games. He confirmed a little bit of what he is been about previously yr or so with Charlotte FC in MLS.

In his debut in opposition to Venezuela, he scored a implausible aim and drew a penalty early within the match. He can function in open area, he can open up his legs, he is bodily, he is robust, and he is good within the air. However he additionally had a extremely good composure in entrance of aim — that first end was actually good.

As I watched him off the ball, I used to be impressed together with his motion and the timing of his runs from behind the back-line. Then on Wednesday, in opposition to Costa Rica, he got here off the bench — Brian White began the sport and scored — however he hammered one for type of an exclamation level over the 2 home windows. I used to be impressed with him.

He’s a handful for defenders and has a unique profile to the opposite important strikers for the USMNT.  Once I take into consideration the striker pool for the USMNT proper now — Ricardo Pepi, Folarin Balogun, Josh Sargent, Brandon Vazquez and Haji Wright — there are lots of our bodies combating for one spot within the system Pochettino has performed. Finally, I believe it’ll come all the way down to whoever is the most well liked as we lead as much as 2026. 

Because it stands, Pepi is the starter, however after that there’s a lot to play for. Whereas Agyemang is at the moment on the skin trying in, he made a terrific first impression within the pink, white, and blue, and if he can push on and have a powerful season in 2025, I might see him inserting himself into the dialog.

I do not assume that is McGlynn’s cycle the place he’ll work his method in for 2026. In saying that, if he makes a bounce to Europe — he is being actively shopped proper now — and may present he can proceed to climb the ladder by way of depth, he might enhance his case.

My solely query about him is his skill to get across the subject in a extremely quick and fast sort of sport. I believe he is a terrific ball-player together with his left foot; he sees a move and may strike the ball from distance. You noticed the aim he had in opposition to Venezuela, that was a magnificence. He had a extremely good January camp.

McGlynn’s is a superb “tempo-setting” midfielder, who could possibly be very helpful for the USMNT in a possession dominant sort of sport in opposition to a decrease CONCACAF opponent due to his skill to move the ball from deep mendacity positions.

As at all times although, after we analyze gamers within the January camp window, we’re speaking throughout the context of “Can they break into the A gaggle?” Let’s take a fast have a look at the USMNT Midfield: Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah, Johnny Cardoso, Tanner Tessman, Aiden Morris, Gio Reyna, Gianluca Busio, Malik Tillman, and so forth., and so forth. — it is the strongest a part of the squad.

It is a very athletic a part of the workforce and Pochettino has put an emphasis on excessive depth with fast transitions, and that does not fairly monitor with McGlynn’s sport. Breaking into that roster forward of 2026 will take a monumental effort, which is why I believe it comes too quickly for McGlynn. He’s a midfielder with lots of potential and positively helped his case this January camp. Earmark him as one for the long run, as we proceed to observe his improvement (doubtlessly in Europe) within the close to future. 

Once I take into consideration how one can consider Diego Luna for the January camp, it is extraordinarily troublesome.

In his begin in opposition to Costa Rica, we immediately noticed flashes of what excites so many people about his expertise, however an elbow and a damaged nostril later, Luna’s day got here to an finish at halftime, when he was taken to hospital for additional analysis.

Luna did, nonetheless, come again on the sector after breaking his nostril to supply an outstanding help together with his first contact of the ball.

It epitomizes the kind of tough, robust, and resilient character he’s and led to an exquisite and BIG praise from USMNT head coach, Mauricio Pochettino.

Luna is slightly tough across the edges at occasions, however he’s full of a lot class. He has the power to utterly break open a sport with a trick, flick, fantastically positioned final move, or a late run into the field to complete off a play. I’d think about that, like me, Mauricio Pochettino has seen some flashes of “subsequent degree” potential from Luna, however felt that we have been robbed of the complete efficiency after his damage. I do not assume we’ll see him referred to as up throughout the March window for the Nation’s League semifinals, however he might work his method into the Gold Cup dialog with one other nice season for RSL or a transfer to Europe within the close to future.

These are the varieties of video games and moments the place we’ll see if he is ready to convert that “subsequent degree” potential into performances and moments on the sector on the highest degree. For now, I stay unconvinced, but intrigued about how far he can go.

Zack Steffen is reaping the advantages of coming again to MLS and taking part in persistently with the Colorado Rapids.

I used to be out on Steffen, I’ve acquired to be trustworthy. I had moved previous Steffen when serious about goalkeepers within the pool, however he had a extremely good sport on Wednesday. He had a implausible save within the first half, and some different acrobatic saves throughout aim. That is sort of the outdated Zack Steffen.

However let’s be trustworthy: this was a not-great Costa Rica workforce, and he wasn’t beneath an immense quantity of stress. However because the goalkeeper, what are you going to do? You have to make the saves, and he did that. 

The transfer again to MLS has been a great one for Steffen from a pair views:

1. He is taking part in common soccer. I am unable to overstate how vital his is for goalkeepers (cough, Matt Turner, cough).
2. He is put himself entrance and heart within the thoughts of the USMNT teaching workers and USMNT followers.
3. It is given him confidence in himself and his skills.

Steffen appeared damaged for a interval after the frustration of the World Cup, not taking part in constant minutes, and a few accidents in England. He appears to have bounced again from that and is in a optimistic mind set now.

Tim Ream, CB, Charlotte FC

I believe Tim Ream’s going to be on the World Cup in 2026 — I am sort of resigned to that truth.

I do not say that out of maximum disappointment, however I hope any person pushes him and may supplant him within the beginning lineup, as a result of I believe meaning we’re in a greater place, and we have got a middle again that is slightly bit youthful and slightly bit faster. However I do not assume at this level within the cycle, with a yr and a half to go, there’s any option to recreate the kind of management, the kind of expertise and, nonetheless, the kind of high quality that Tim Ream has on the sector: organizing the workforce, passing out of the again.

I’ve persistently stated that we do not have a left-footed participant within the again that may break strains the best way that he does and play so calmly beneath stress on the ball. He is nonetheless important to that place, so I believe even when he is not beginning, I believe he’ll be a part of the roster in 2026.

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I additionally would not be shocked or upset to see him beginning when the USMNT walks out at SoFi Stadium in a yr and a half. In saying that, a yr and a half will be a very long time on this sport, and it is vital Tim Ream retains his degree up at Charlotte FC in MLS.  It will likely be fascinating to see how he will get by way of a full season with a unique sort of cadence and journey than he has skilled in additional than a decade.

I’ve adopted Caden Clark’s profession as he had fast success in New York, earlier than bouncing round and struggling to stay as much as a number of the early hype.

We’ve got to remember he is nonetheless solely 21 years outdated and hasn’t discovered a great membership match since New York. He completed the season actually robust (scoring his first MLS objectives since 2022 in NY), so my hope is that he continues to get common minutes in MLS and is usually a severe contributor for CF Montreal this upcoming MLS season. What we noticed within the January camp was a powerful efficiency from a participant who has lots of uncooked expertise. He had some nice passes in each video games, and bursts of tempo with the ball that may get the group on the sting of their seats.

The aim was fairly good too!

Eneli’s journey is a implausible story, which is an enormous a part of why I consider he deserves recognition for a powerful efficiency within the January camp.

His story touches nearly each a part of the U.S. Soccer improvement path and highlights the truth that completely different gamers develop in numerous methods and at completely different occasions. He performed for the Crew academy at a younger age earlier than attending Cornell College and graduating in 2022.

Throw in some USL League two after that after which a SuperDraft Choose at No. 25 to RSL. Quick-forward to 2024, he turned an especially vital participant for RSL and now has a few nationwide workforce caps to his title.

On the pitch, I used to be extraordinarily impressed at his efficiency within the second match in opposition to Costa Rica, when he began and went 90 minutes. He accomplished 93% of his passes, received greater than half of his duels, had 6 interceptions and 14 recoveries of the ball with 10 coming within the opponent’s half. Greater than the stats although, it felt like he did not break a sweat all the sport.

He appeared calm on the ball, made good and sensible selections in each protection and assault, and performed the kind of clear sport you want in that place on the sector. As I talked about slightly bit earlier, the midfield is a tricky spot for the USMNT to interrupt into, however I’d regulate Eneli and the half he might play sooner or later if he continues his sharp rise. 

Stu Holden, a former midfielder for the US males’s nationwide workforce, is FOX Sports activities’ lead match analyst for its marquee soccer protection.

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