World Cup: Which USMNT Players Carry the Hopes of a Nation This Summer?
MetLife Stadium, the site of the 2026 World Cup Final - Source: Unsplash
May 7, 2026
The United States will be hosting the vast majority of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 79 games will take place at state-of-the-art stadiums such as SoFi in Los Angeles and MetLife in the Big Apple, with the latter hosting the final on July 19th. The other two co-hosts, Canada and Mexico, will host just 13 each, a tiny figure compared to their Land of the Free neighbors.
As such, expectations are high for Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT, albeit more so with supporters as opposed to online betting sites. The latest odds from Lucky Rebel Sportsbook peg the USA as a mighty 65/1 outsider to shock the world by lifting the World Cup for the first time this summer. However, no one has told one of the most over-expectant fanbases on the planet that.
Many American media outlets are pegging Poch's side as genuine contenders this summer. Ask any other set of fans or pundits on the planet about their hopes, and they will tell you straight: If the US makes it to the quarterfinals, it's quite the achievement.
So, if the US is to upset the odds this summer, which players are going to have to shoulder much of the load and put their country on their backs? Let's take a look.
Christian Pulisic
The nickname says it all: Captain America. That's who Christian Pulisic is and has been for some time now. After bouncing around European heavyweights such as Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea, the talented winger now finds himself with Italian giants AC Milan, and he has been in steady form so far this season. The 27-year-old has netted ten goals in all competitions but has struggled in recent weeks as the Rossoneri's Scudetto challenge has faded.
For the national team, it's a similar story. Pulisic hasn't scored an international goal since November 2024, and his country desperately needs him to find the kind of form that saw him become one of the most sought-after wingers in the world just a few years ago. The Pennsylvania-born star is without question the most talented player in this American squad - a squad deemed to be the golden generation. If he doesn't deliver, it's hard to see where the creativity will come from.
Weston McKennie
A lot can change in sports in three years. The popular combat sports podcast below explains exactly that for the likes of boxing and MMA, and if they want confirmation of just how quickly things can indeed change, they simply need to take one look at Weston McKennie.
After impressing in his debut season with Juventus back in 2020/21, the central midfielder began to regress, and by the winter of 2023, he was shipped out to Leeds United on loan until the end of the season. The American struggled in the Premier League, and the Yorkshire club opted against bringing him to Elland Road on a permanent basis, with him returning to Juventus just six months later. However, in the three years since arriving back in Turin, McKennie has gone from strength to strength.
This season has been arguably the former Schalke man's finest at the Allianz Stadium. Juventus have struggled all year long and are in real danger of missing out on Champions League qualification. If it wasn't for McKennie, they would be out of the fight already. The 27-year-old has netted nine goals and provided a further seven assists so far this term, and he has thrived in multiple different positions. A central midfielder by trade, McKennie has been asked to play on the wing, at full back, and even as a striker, giving his all for the cause on every occasion.
His engine will be crucial for the USMNT this summer. He has the combative abilities in midfield not only to win the ball, but then to drive downfield, instantly turning defense into attack. Pochettino will need him to do exactly that this summer if his side is to have any hope of mounting a deep tournament run.
Folarin Balogun
The US isn't short of options in attack. Timothy Weah was once considered the main man, but in the last couple of years, both Ricardo Pepi and Patrick Agyemang have risen to the fore. But no one has enjoyed a more meteoric rise than striker Folarin Balogun.
The former Arsenal youngster shot to prominence on loan with Ligue 1 side Stade Reims in the 2022/23 season, netting 22 goals and announcing himself as one of the hottest young strikers in world football. Fellow French outfit Monaco would duly pounce, snapping him up from the Gunners for some €30m, and after initially struggling, he has emerged as a predatory hitman this term.
His first two seasons yielded modest results, but this term, Balogun has hit 17 goals in all appearances and should clear the coveted 20 mark before the season is out. If he can continue in that kind of form at the World Cup, then the US have themselves a reliable goalscorer on their hands, and that's the hardest thing to find in the modern game.