The 2026 FIFA World Cup is barreling towards us — simply 45 days away.
On June 11, Mexico and South Africa will open the event at Mexico Metropolis’s legendary Azteca Stadium. The subsequent day, the U.S. will begin its personal World Cup journey in opposition to Paraguay at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium.
The USMNT hasn’t named its official World Cup squad — that roster is predicted to drop Could 26 — however there are a couple of gamers whose spots are all however secured.
However who’re they? What are they as much as with their membership groups? And the way will their latest performances influence the USMNT’s World Cup journey?
Christian Pulisic, AC Milan
Strengths: Pulisic stays a wonderful passer. He is one of many prime movers in Serie A, in a position to get touches even when he is having a tough sport.
Weaknesses: And that is necessary, as a result of Pulisic has been having tough video games for a protracted whereas now. His poor run of kind got here to a head in Milan’s 0-0 draw with Juventus, when he managed an anticipated objectives tally of precisely zero in 62 minutes.
Simply how unhealthy is Pulisic’s present kind? Within the 2025-2026 Serie A season— a season by which he acquired off to a blistering begin — Pulisic is averaging .44 anticipated objectives, .24 anticipated assists and a couple of.13 possibilities created per sport. These numbers put him within the 78th, 96th and ninety fifth percentile in Italy.
In his previous 5 video games, although, Pulisic is averaging .07 anticipated objectives, .23 anticipated assists and one probability created per sport. There is no getting round it: Whereas his help figures stay regular, largely on the idea of some robust video games in opposition to weaker opponents, his goalscoring and probability creation has cratered in 2026.
Backside line: Pulisic is the USMNT’s greatest star, however he is coming into the World Cup season as its greatest potential disappointment.
Weston McKennie, Juventus
Strengths: McKennie has been by way of rather a lot with Juventus this season, from coping with an acrimonious supervisor change to loads of positional shifts. However he is stored his head excessive and emerged as one of many crew’s key gamers.
Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti has performed McKennie all around the subject, however he is taken to beginning him in a hybrid proper wingback function that appears to swimsuit him effectively. That is nice information for the USMNT, as a result of its presumed proper wingback Sergino Dest is managing a hamstring damage and is probably not again to full health in time for the World Cup.
USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino hasn’t used McKennie as a wingback, however he might strive him there within the crew’s World Cup friendlies in opposition to Senegal and Germany this summer time.
