Just because the UEFA Champions League is on hiatus until knockout play begins later this month doesn’t mean that many of the USA’s World Cup hopefuls around Europe have been idle with their clubs overseas this week.
Although it wasn’t a good week for some hoping to make coach Mauricio Pochettino’s roster for the 2026 tournament (more on that below), several USA stalwarts are angling for a career-defining turn this summer at the biggest World Cup ever.
World Cup Watch: Is This The USA’s Best Lineup?
Others — including banged-up star forward Christian Pulisic — aren’t faring quite as well across the Atlantic. Here’s how things stand for some of the USA’s notable players:
Stock Up
Tanner Tessman has been a reliable starter at Lyon. (Photo by Sébastien BOZON / AFP via Getty Images)
Tanner Tessmann, Midfielder, Lyon
Tessmann has gone all 90 minutes in five of the last seven Ligue 1 games he’s been available for, including Sunday’s 1-1 triumph over Lille. Lyon has not lost a match the Alabama-born FC Dallas academy product has started since November.
Folarin Balogun, Forward, Monaco
In five matches for Monaco in January, the 24-year-old striker managed a goal and two assists. He came off the bench with his club trailing 3-1 in Thursday’s Coupe de France round of 16 match away to Strasbourg and nearly pulled one back; his header beat home keeper Mike Penders but not his crossbar.
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Weston McKennie, Midfielder, Juventus
Named Juve’s Player of the Month of January earlier this week, McKennie had four goals in his last eight games for Luciano Spalletti’s side heading into Thursday’s 3-0 Italian Cup quarterfinal defeat away to Atalanta. The 27-year-old Texan played all 90 minutes.
Is Gio Reyna still in the picture for the World Cup? (Photo by Jürgen Fromme – firo sportphoto/Getty Images)
Gio Reyna, Midfiedler/Forward, Borussia Mönchengladbach
Although Reyna has missed ‘Gladbach’s last two matches because of muscular problems and doesn’t have a goal or assist in 13 Bundesliga appearances this season, Pochettino threw the 23-year-old attacker a lifeline last week.
“He hasn’t had the consistency we would have expected, but he’s a player – without consistent playing time – who came to us in November and performed at a very good level,” said Pochettino of Reyna, who scored in that month’s friendly win over Paraguay, the Americans’ opening group stage opponent next June. “[This] is the same scenario. We’re taking him under consideration for the choices we’ll make in March after which for the World Cup.”
Malik Tillman, Midfielder/Ahead, Bayer Leverkusen
Tillman constructed on his two-goal efficiency within the Champions League final week by scoring once more over the weekend in Leverkusen’s 3-1 Bundesliga win away to Eintracht Frankfurt. The soft-spoken 23-year-old has six objectives in 24 appearances throughout all competitions in 2025-26.
Inventory Down
Christian Pulisic is battling accidents as soon as once more. (Picture by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket through Getty Pictures)
Christian Pulisic, Midfielder/Ahead, AC Milan
On tempo for his greatest season but final fall, Pulisic has been slowed significantly by a minor harm to date in 2026. The U.S. headliner didn’t journey for Milan’s 3-1 win over Bologna on Tuesday due to what Rossoneri supervisor Max Allegri referred to as “bursitis,” apparently in his hip space. The 27-year-old stays Milan’s main scorer regardless of no objective contributions by way of the primary 5 video games of this 12 months.
Johnny Cardoso, Midfielder, Atlético Madrid
Beset by harm issues through the first half of the season, Cardodo’s run of 4 straight begins for Atleti ended Thursday when a muscle harm compelled the 24-year-old to overlook the 5-0 Copa del Rey quarterfinal win over Actual Betis, his former membership.
Time is operating out for Yunus Musah. (Picture by Marco Canoniero/LightRocket through Getty Pictures)
Yunus Musah, Midfielder, Atalanta
The 23-year-old is operating out of time to make the World Cup squad. After going 52 minutes within the Champions League final week, Musah didn’t characteristic in both of Atalanta’s final two video games, a scoreless tie away to Como final weekend and Thursday’s massive win over northern Italian rival Juve.
Haji Wright, Striker, Coventry Metropolis
The 27-year-old Los Angeles native was held scoreless within the Sky Blues’ final two video games, each losses. After beginning the season with 9 objectives in as many Championship video games, Wright has simply two in his final 17 appearances in England’s second tier. He is clearly nonetheless on the radar, nevertheless: USMNT assistant coach Miguel D’Agostino shall be in attendance on Saturday.when Coventry hosts Oxford United.
