The U.S. Men's National Team opens the 2026 World Cup on Friday against Paraguay in Los Angeles. Four years of build-up, a home tournament, and finally — actual football. Here's a straight assessment of all 26 players Mauricio Pochettino has selected, and what to realistically expect from each of them.
The players who will decide how far the U.S. goes
Christian Pulisic is the obvious starting point. The 27-year-old AC Milan forward carries 33 goals in 86 senior appearances — the most of any active USMNT player — and he's been finishing cleanly since breaking a lean spell with a goal against Senegal last month. A Pulisic in form is the difference between a group stage exit and a genuine run. His odds of hitting the net first in any given game are worth watching.
Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie are the spine. Adams, Bournemouth's combative midfielder, was named captain at 23 for the 2022 World Cup and hasn't let up since. McKennie is the engine — born on an Army base, shaped in Texas and Germany, capable of playing almost anywhere Pochettino needs him. He opened the scoring in a March friendly against Belgium and looks sharp heading in.
Then there's Chris Richards. The Crystal Palace centre-back, 6'2" and genuinely the best defender on this squad, hurt his ankle in May and hasn't played since. He says he's ready. The U.S. backline has been porous without him. If he's not fully fit, that's a real problem — and it changes how comfortable you should feel backing the USMNT in clean sheet markets.
Antonee Robinson at left-back bleached his hair for the tournament and then scored a rocket against Germany. That's the kind of form you want from your fullback heading into a World Cup.
The forwards fighting for minutes
Folarin Balogun (24, AS Monaco) and Ricardo Pepi (23, PSV Eindhoven) are the striker options behind Pulisic, and both arrive in form. Balogun scored 19 goals in 43 appearances for Monaco this season; Pepi matched that exactly — 19 in 34 — for PSV. Pepi was left off the 2022 squad and said nothing, just worked. Pulisic put it plainly in May: "His time is now."
Timothy Weah, Timothy Wright, Brenden Aaronson, and Alejandro Zendejas round out the attack. Weah is the wild card — capable of a World Cup goal one tournament, a costly red card the next (see: Copa America 2024). Aaronson got married two weeks ago and briefly left training camp. Haji Wright got Coventry promoted to the Premier League this season but faces stiff competition for minutes. This group has depth, but the pecking order is fairly clear.
The rest of the squad
- Malik Tillman (24, Bayer Leverkusen) — The Bundesliga midfielder has quietly become one of the most technically gifted players in this setup. Former U.S. Soccer sporting director Earnie Stewart recently called him "one of the most amazing players I've ever seen." That's a strong claim. He's starting to back it up.
- Gio Reyna (23, Borussia Mönchengladbach) — The talent is real. The consistency isn't. His 2022 World Cup was defined more by off-field drama than anything on the pitch. He's only 23, but this is the tournament that needs to settle the question of what Reyna actually is.
- Sebastian Berhalter (25, Vancouver Whitecaps) — Yes, the coach's son. Debuted under Pochettino, not his dad. Known for set-piece delivery; watch him on corners.
- Sergiño Dest (25, PSV Eindhoven) — Started all four games in 2022 and is likely to do the same here. Reliable at right back.
- Alex Freeman (21, Villarreal) — Son of NFL wide receiver Antonio Freeman, and genuinely athletic enough to make that make sense. Six goals as a defender for Orlando last season earned him a move to La Liga. Could start on the right side next to Richards.
- Tim Ream (38, Charlotte FC) — The captain. Oldest player on the squad. Been here since before the 2022 cycle, missed 2018 qualification entirely, played every minute in Qatar. Won't beat anyone for pace, but won't put himself out of position either.
- Mark McKenzie (27, Toulouse) — 15 of his 29 career caps have come under Pochettino. The favored cover option while Richards manages his ankle.
- Miles Robinson (29, FC Cincinnati) — Missed 2022 with a ruptured Achilles after scoring the Gold Cup winner against Mexico the year before. He's been waiting a long time for this.
- Auston Trusty (27, Celtic) — Limited minutes in 2026 so far, unclear how much he'll feature.
- Joe Scally (23, Borussia Mönchengladbach) — Didn't appear in a game at the 2022 World Cup despite being on the roster. History may repeat itself.
- Cristian Roldan (31, Seattle Sounders) — Veteran locker room presence. May not feature on the pitch at all.
- Max Arfsten (25, Columbus Crew) — Walk-on at UC Davis, now a regular in Pochettino's camps. Comfortable on both feet and likely to see some time.
In goal, it's Matt Freese (27, NYCFC) who has edged out Matt Turner (31, New England Revolution) as the more frequent starter over the past year. Two clean sheets and three penalty saves at last year's Gold Cup make Freese the frontrunner. Turner has been here before — he started every game in 2022 — and won't go quietly. Chris Brady (22, Chicago Fire) is third in line and made his debut in May, but this is his introduction to the setup, not his moment yet.
"There's a healthy mutual respect between us," Turner said of the Freese situation. "We both want to play." Clean answer. The coaches will decide, and whoever it is takes the gloves against Paraguay on Friday.
