USMNT and Mauricio Pochettino Have 2026 World Cup Starter in European Transfer Target

ARLINGTON, Texas — Mauricio Pochettino needed a moment to put his thoughts together. Often verbose in both English and Spanish, the manager waited when asked about his best player so far in this summer's Gold Cup.

Perhaps it wasn't easy to stay focused on the present. After all, Pochettino had watched a player go from a likely roster inclusion to a locked-in starter for the 2026 World Cup all in just three Gold Cup group-stage matches.

“It’s difficult to define (Malik Tillman) because, what a player, no? What a player that is showing in this camp his talent and (ability)," Pochettino said. "This type of player with the talent he has shown in every single game and with the capacity without the ball, the work ethic and the way that he really is aggressive?"

That’s how it goes with Tillman, who scored in the 10th minute of the United States’ 2-1 win over Haiti at AT&T Stadium to make it three goals in a perfect group stage for the Americans. They now look toward Sunday’s quarterfinal with Costa Rica, three games away from lifting the continental championship.

It would be a more remarkable achievement this year than in past years. Not only would it bring good vibes and positive momentum ahead of the 2026 World Cup, but it would also come despite many player absences.

Star playmaker Christian Pulisic asked for the summer off because of fatigue, while Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Gio Reyna are participating in the Club World Cup, taking place at the same time this summer. Folarin Balogun, Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson are among those missing because of lingering injuries.

Yet, Tillman has worked to cover many of those cracks. Pulisic, Weah, Balogun, Dest and Robinson all should return to the starting lineup when available. But Reyna was already, at times, a square peg in a round hole. Couple Tillman’s burst onto the scene and improvement on the club level with Reyna’s difficulty to find minutes with his club and a role with the U.S. and it seems Tillman not only has the skill to be in Pochettino’s ‘Best XI,’ he also found the space where he can slot in.

Tillman provides a lot going forward. His quality finishing is clear. It became funny just how close he came to scoring a second against Haiti, once having a ball bounce off his shoulder and in but not counting because of handball and another seeing him be narrowly offside.

The work he does when he isn’t in the final third, however, is also shining through so far this tournament. Whether being a playmaker pulling the strings, swapping positions with fellow attackers to puzzle defenders, or dropping back to help teammates, Tillman is showing a remarkable engine and a willingness to do it all.

“He recovers a lot of balls, he’s always trying to help the team press, chasing back, playing in different positions,” Pochettino said. “He can appear like a No. 10 between the lines, using the half-space, be on the right or left side, wide, or can play like an 8, a 6, what a talented player. I’m so pleased with him."

Tillman doesn’t carry himself like the top player on this Gold Cup squad. A mild-mannered 23-year-old, the Bayern Munich academy product seems to focus on how far he has to go rather than how far he has come.

“To be honest, I get frustrated,”  he said when asked about his near-misses Sunday. “I don’t know if you guys can see it. I try to keep it more inside of me and not show it.

“I’m frustrated, even still now. Quite disappointed not to score one more. It’s always about looking forward and looking for the next action. Don’t stick to the past too much.”

He’ll no doubt use the week between this win and Sunday’s quarterfinal against Haiti to get better. Instead of celebrating the successes, Tillman seems focused on refining the smallest details and working to become a more complete player.

That’s what happened at the club level, where he took a huge step forward this season at PSV. He worked on his shooting from outside the box, his movement in midfield, and ended the season not only with the counting stats of a dozen goals in the Eredivisie and three more in the Champions League, but also notably returned from an ankle injury late in the season to help power PSV to a title.

Those performances not only made him a player Pochettino wanted to see this summer but also have drawn the attention of Bayer Leverkusen, which reportedly is considering paying Tillman’s release clause to bring him to the Bundesliga even though his contract with PSV runs through 2028.

For now, Tillman can expect to keep building his case to be a starter when Pochettino is putting the team together next summer at the World Cup. With his attacking contributions, his defensive efforts and the desire to continue improving, Tillman is becoming the leader of this Gold Cup squad and an obligatory name on the team sheet.

It’s enough to get anyone talking.