Projecting the USMNT’s World Cup squad: Luna over Reyna? Turner begins at GK?

We’re nonetheless over a yr away from the 2026 World Cup, however it’s by no means too early to take inventory of the gamers who will symbolize the US males’s nationwide staff on the planet’s greatest sporting occasion. 

Below USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino, there might be some apparent selections for who makes up the 26-player roster. However count on some roles to be up for grabs, particularly if this staff continues to battle amid a stunning four-game dropping streak going into the Gold Cup.

And that might result in loads of surprises when the squad is formally named subsequent yr.

If the World Cup began at the moment, which gamers would make up the beginning XI? How completely different would the squad look from the one which reached the spherical of 16 at Qatar 2022? Let’s go place by place and see who’s getting that decision. 

GOALKEEPERS

GK: Matt Turner 
Backups: Zack Steffen, Patrick Schulte 
Simply missed out: Matt Freese, Diego Kochen

With only a yr to go, Turner — the USMNT’s starter since 2022 — nonetheless hasn’t confronted a critical problem for his job regardless of his lack of normal taking part in time with Crystal Palace. Steffen was alleged to show that at this month’s Gold Cup, however harm his knee and can miss the event. With Turner anticipated to discover a new membership the place he’ll be the No. 1 later this summer time, he stays in pole place in purpose for the following World Cup.

Improve from ‘22?: Sure. Turner now has World Cup and Premier League expertise, one thing he didn’t have 4 years again. And he wasn’t beginning at membership stage then, both. However a possible transfer from Crystal Palace to French membership Lyon ought to give him time to extend his minutes.

DEFENDERS

(R-L): Sergino Dest, Chris Richards, Miles Robinson, Antonee “Jedi” Robinson
Backups: Alex Freeman, Mark McKenzie, Joe Scally, Tim Ream, Walker Zimmerman
Simply missed out: Max Arfsten, Cameron Carter-Vickers, John Tolkin, Auston Trusty

Dest and Jedi are locks on the surface, if wholesome. Similar for heart again Richards. However who might be Richards’ accomplice within the center come subsequent summer time? Proper now, Miles Robinson might be the front-runner by default. However that undoubtedly may change between now and subsequent June.

Improve from ‘22?: TBD. Jedi has definitely improved since Qatar, establishing himself as the most effective left backs within the Premier League. Amid a strong season with Crystal Palace that included profitable an FA Cup, Richards might be an improve over 2022 starter Zimmerman. However Ream was on the top of his powers in Qatar, and Dest has but to return to full health since present process ACL surgical procedure 13 months in the past.

MIDFIELDERS

Holding midfielders: Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie
Backups: Johnny Cardoso, Yunus Musah, Tanner Tessman 
Simply missed out: Gianluca Busio, Aidan Morris 

Adams and McKennie didn’t have one of the best displaying throughout March’s Nations League finals, however Pochettino most likely wants each stalwarts on the sector if the Individuals are to make a deep run subsequent summer time. That mentioned, Cardoso may nudge a kind of two to the bench if he continues to enhance at tempo — and if he can ever replicate his kind in Spain’s LaLiga whereas carrying the USA crest. 

Improve from ‘22?: Sure. Whereas Adams has been affected by harm all through the 2026 cycle, he was glorious for Premier League aspect Bournemouth final season. At 27, he’ll simply be getting into his prime subsequent summer time. The identical goes for McKennie, who has been the most effective midfielders in Italy for 2 consecutive seasons with Juventus.

Attacking midfielder: Diego Luna 
Backup: Gio Reyna
Simply missed out: Jack McGlynn 

Considered one of vanishingly few brilliant spots in March, Luna seems poised to be the USMNT’s predominant playmaker in the course of the Gold Cup with Reyna with Borussia Dortmund on the Membership World Cup. Would Reyna be on this spot the place he accessible? Possibly not, given his dearth of taking part in time with BVB final season. However we’re anticipating him to discover a new membership the place he’s in a position to function recurrently earlier than the World Cup.

Improve from ‘22?: N/A. Gregg Berhalter didn’t actually have a playmaker within the center 4 years in the past; the then-USMNT coach paired Adams and McKennie with extra of a box-to-box kind in Yunus Musah. It confirmed, because the buildup to all three of the Individuals’ objectives in Qatar started on the flanks.

FORWARDS

Wingers (R-L): Tim Weah, Christian Pulisic
Backups: Brenden Aaronson, Malik Tillman, Haji Wright
Simply missed out: Paxten Aaronson, Damion Downs, Quinn Sullivan

Apparent on Pulisic. One other shoo-in starter when wholesome, Weah ought to slide into the identical function he manned in 2022 when he scored the Individuals’ first purpose in Qatar. Aaronson spent final season in central midfield for Leeds United, however he is more likely to return to the flank now that Leeds is again within the Premier League. Tillman can cement his USMNT with a powerful Gold Cup displaying after which one other stellar marketing campaign with Dutch champs PSV. Meantime, Wright — one other World Cup goalscorer – may fill in at striker. 

Improve from ‘22?: Sure. After the transfer to AC Milan, Pulisic is coming off one of the best two seasons of his profession by far and will take one other step ahead in 2025-26. In the meantime, Weah jumped up a stage when he went from France’s Lille to Juventus in 2023. He’ll be much more skilled come subsequent summer time after taking part within the FIFA Membership World Cup and one other UEFA Champions League marketing campaign.

Striker: Ricardo Pepi
Backups: Folarin Balogun, Patrick Agyemang 
Simply missed out: Josh Sargent, Brian White 

Pepi gained the job late final yr with a flurry of objectives in Pochettino’s first two camps, then continued his prolific methods for PSV earlier than hurting his knee. Balogun, for whom harm prevented his participation underneath Pochettino in any respect, ought to return to the combination this season. Then there’s Agyemang, who got here virtually out of nowhere to turn into a U.S. common in 2025.

Improve from ‘22?: Sure. Berhalter began three completely different gamers on this spot 4 years in the past. If Pepi picks up the place he left off earlier than injuring his knee in a Champions League match in Liverpool final winter— Pepi scored the winner earlier than leaving the sector  — the job must be his alone subsequent summer time. The rangy Texan’s goals-to-minutes ratio has been off the charts in two seasons with PSV, for whom he’s anticipated to start out full-time his coming marketing campaign.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports activities who has lined United States males’s and ladies’s nationwide groups at FIFA World Cups on 5 continents. Observe him @ByDougMcIntyre.

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