Predicting the USMNT 2026 World Cup Roster 1 Month From Cutdown Day
One month from today, hearts will be broken.
When Mauricio Pochettino announces his World Cup squad for the United States men's national team on May 26, there will be plenty of celebration.
Those players who make the cut will be the ones suiting up for the U.S. in their World Cup tuneup friendlies against Senegal on May 31 in Charlotte and Germany on June 6 in Chicago. Of course, those same players will be plying their trade for the USMNT at the finals this summer.
However, there will also be a collection of on-the-bubble players who don't make the roster. Unless Pochettino has a change of heart, those names won't get a phone call telling them the bad news. They'll learn of their World Cup hopes being dashed right as the rest of us do.
Who should make up the USMNT's World Cup roster? And who should be in the starting lineup?
While Pochettino will undoubtedly shift his personnel and shape from one game to the next, we're using a 3-4-2-1 formation and projecting who will line up in red, white and blue for the team's tournament opener against Paraguay on June 12.
Goalkeeper: Matt Freese (New York City FC)
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After starting between the posts in the USMNT's friendly defeat to Portugal last month, the goalkeeper role is still Matt Freese's to lose.
The New York City FC goalkeeper has been a favorite of Pochettino's since last summer and has been a consistently strong performer at club level.
Goalkeeper likely won't be a position of strength for the United States, but Freese has done enough to earn the job.
Right Wing Back: Sergino Dest (PSV Eindhoven)
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If he's healthy and ready to go after a hamstring injury, Sergino Dest is the most natural fit to play as the USMNT's right-sided defender.
With quality attacking skills that none of Tim Weah, Alex Freeman or Joe Scally can rival, Dest's presence can help alleviate some of the open-play chance creation issues that plagued the U.S. in the March window.
With a trio of fairly stodgy defensive opponents in the group stage, Dest's skill set is needed.
Center Back: Alex Freeman (Villarreal)
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Though minutes haven't come thick and fast since his move from Orlando City to La Liga in January, Alex Freeman has begun to acclimate to the Spanish top flight.
In the meantime, he served as a spark for the USMNT in the 2-0 loss to Portugal in March.
With good height, clean one-v-one defending even against Paris Saint-Germain star Nuno Mendes and clever possession play, Freeman is an ideal fit to play as the right-sided center back.
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Center Back: Chris Richards (Crystal Palace)
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Given the lack of quality in the United States' center-back pool, there may not be a name written in darker ink in the starting lineup than Chris Richards.
The USMNT's best defender, one of their most reliable distributors and an asset on set pieces, the Crystal Palace man will have the chance to play every minute that matters at his first World Cup this summer.
Center Back: Auston Trusty (Celtic)
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Between Tim Ream's struggles against Belgium last month and Auston Trusty's impressive showings against Uruguay last fall and Portugal in March, there's a path to starting minutes for the Celtic center back.
With his left-footed distribution and reasonable defensive output, the 27-year-old could just be the one to overtake Ream in the pecking order.
Nine years Ream's junior, Trusty brings mobility to the table without forcing the USMNT to take a major hit passing from deep.
Left Wing Back: Antonee Robinson (Fulham)
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If anyone needed a reminder of Antonee Robinson's importance, watching deputy Max Arfsten struggle in the final stages of the recent defeat in Belgium made the point quite clearly.
Robinson, with his two-way engine, is well clear of any and all positional rivals heading into this summer's tournament.
Expect to see the Fulham defender chasing up and down the wing for as long as the USMNT is still kicking at the World Cup.
Center Midfield: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth)
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Now recovered from a quadriceps injury that kept him out of action for over a month for Bournemouth, Tyler Adams is back in action and looking like himself in the Premier League.
The USMNT has no players who truly fit the description of "world class," but Adams' ground coverage is certainly a world-class skill. He'll play a crucial role in front of the U.S. backline at the World Cup.
Center Midfield: Johnny Cardoso
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After a number of poor performances with the national team, Johnny Cardoso redeemed himself with a positive showing in his 45 minutes against Belgium in March.
The Atletico Madrid man will bring more high-level experience and more defensive bite than a number of the other competitors for minutes in central midfield.
Diego Simeone trusts the 24-year-old, and Pochettino will likely do the same.
Right Attacking Midfielder: Weston McKennie
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In the midst of the best seasons of any American in Europe, Weston McKennie is an undroppable force in the USMNT's starting lineup.
While it's possible McKennie's swashbuckling skill set might be better used deeper in midfield against at least Paraguay and Australia in the group stage (opening up a starting role in the attack for either Malik Tillman, Tim Weah or another advanced player), Pochettino has largely used the Juventus midfielder higher up the field.
Left Attacking Midfielder: Christian Pulisic
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Was there any doubt?
Though Christian Pulisic is in the midst of a lengthy goal drought for the USMNT, he's clearly an invaluable part of the team's summer plans.
Pochettino values the 27-year-old so highly that he tried to bolster his attacking confidence by starting him as a striker against Portugal.
That gamble didn't pay off, but the principle remains: Pulisic will be on the field in the biggest moments this summer.
Center Forward: Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco)
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Red-hot for AS Monaco in Ligue 1 and Pochettino's starting striker based on the USMNT's recent run of games, Folarin Balogun will lead the line at a home World Cup.
Thanks to a hyper-balanced skill set that features useful hold-up play, smart off-ball running, and plenty of defensive work, Balogun has made himself the go-to guy in the forward group.
Complete 2026 World Cup Squad Projection
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Goalkeepers (3): Matt Freese (New York City FC), Matt Turner (New England Revolution), Chris Brady (Chicago Fire)
Defenders (9): Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Auston Trusty (Celtic), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Sergino Dest (PSV), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Midfielders (6): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Johnny Cardoso (Atletico Madrid), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Tanner Tessmann (Lyon), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps)
Forwards (8): Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen), Tim Weah (Marseille), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV), Haji Wright (Coventry City), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake)
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