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Coming off a demanding pair of fixtures against Belgium and Portugal during the March international break, players from the U.S. men's national team scattered across the globe and rejoined their club sides over the weekend.
For some, the return was immediate, stepping straight into starting roles, while others eased themselves back into the rhythm of club football. Meanwhile, several USMNT fringe players who missed out on a March call-up delivered standout weeks, hoping to catch the eye of manager Mauricio Pochettino from a distance and earn a spot in his final World Cup squad.
Here, Sports Illustrated highlights the best performances of the week.
Folarin Balogun
If Pochettino had his eyes on Folarin Balogun this week, he may well be rethinking his approach for the USMNT. After struggling as a false nine and second striker across various setups during the March window, Balogun bounced back to his best with AS Monaco this weekend.
The 23-year-old forward netted the decisive goal in Monaco's 2–1 victory over Marseille, pressing the backline relentlessly before unleashing a lung-busting run to beat his marker and produce a cheeky chip over the goalkeeper into the side netting.
While his goal capitalized on a poor clearance from Benjamin Pavard, his awareness to trigger a footrace against Marseille's CJ Egan-Riley made it evident that he flourishes in an advanced position as a true No. 9, a natural striker, rather than in the modified roles he has been asked to fill with the USMNT.
Le chef d'oeuvre de 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐧 🇺🇸😍 pic.twitter.com/9N0NEE5P0L
Analyzing his display against Marseille, the way he consistently positions himself for high-quality opportunities on virtually every attacking move is central to his scoring record, and his teammates have learned to pick him out in those high-xG zones.
As illustrated below, on Monaco's opening goal, he briefly hesitated before darting on a diagonal run toward the back post, where a simple tap-in would have been on offer had the ball found its way through. Instead, Aleksandr Golovin converted the chance with a volley, but regardless, Balogun's movement created a crucial second option, drawing defensive attention and providing a fallback if the cross had been mishit.
Though his goal arrived via a somewhat fortunate opportunity, it demonstrated just how lethal he can be and the type of danger he presents when deployed as an out-and-out striker—potentially something the USMNT could lean on given their recent difficulties.
With Sunday's strike, Balogun lifted his seasonal tally to 16 goals in 37 appearances across all competitions and has now found the net in six consecutive Ligue 1 outings.
Sebastian Berhalter
Many USMNT players who logged heavy minutes against Portugal on Tuesday were carefully reintroduced over the weekend. Even so, few made as immediate an impression as Sebastian Berhalter did upon returning to the Vancouver Whitecaps.
The 24-year-old, fresh from playing 78 minutes against fifth-ranked Portugal, went the full 90 for Vancouver, stepping up in central midfield while his regular partner, Andrés Cubas, sat out through injury. For much of Saturday's clash with the Portland Timbers, it was classic Berhalter—precise set-piece delivery, tenacious challenges, and the occasional long-range effort.
Yet it was his relentless drive in the closing stages that truly stood out—a quality the USMNT has sometimes lacked late in matches. After Vancouver leveled the derby at 2–2 through Thomas Müller's goal in the 91st minute, Berhalter executed a crunching tackle in his own half, surged forward, and fired home from range to seal the win in the 96th minute, as shown in the clip below.
Something about Sebastian Berhalter and stoppage time tackles 😶🌫️ pic.twitter.com/HJRDEaYusb
While his performances against top-tier opposition and within Pochettino's constantly evolving midfield system haven't quite matched the heights he reached at the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, he looks as close to a guaranteed World Cup roster spot as anyone in the player pool. He will also almost certainly be among the next Americans to make the move to Europe—likely England, given his U.K. passport—with his MLS contract set to expire at season's end.
Zavier Gozo
Could a player yet to earn a senior USMNT cap make the World Cup squad? Only twice in the program's history has a teenager featured at a World Cup, but Real Salt Lake's Zavier Gozo may be building a compelling argument.
At just 19 years old, the U.S. U-20 men's national team player and RSL academy product brings a distinctive flair and confidence to his game that few of the more experienced players in the U.S. pool can match—a quality that was noticeably absent at times during the games against Portugal and Belgium.
On Saturday, Gozo—who contributed a goal and an assist at the FIFA U-20 World Cup last year—flicked the ball up to himself on the edge of the box before rifling a perfectly-placed right-footed finish past Sporting Kansas City's John Pulskamp.
Would he see significant playing time, if any, at the World Cup? Probably not. Yet, the energy, confidence, and raw ability he brings could be exactly what the USMNT needs to forge a distinct identity and unlock the full potential of a squad already talented enough to make a deep run this summer.
Claiming Silverware, Eyes on More
Beyond the individual highlights, it was a significant weekend for American players chasing silverware in Europe. Ricardo Pepi and Sergiño Dest's PSV Eindhoven defeated FC Utrecht 4–3 to clinch the Dutch Eredivisie title for the third consecutive season.
Across the channel in England, Brenden Aaronson played an influential role as Leeds United defeated West Ham to reach their first FA Cup semifinal in 39 years. He entered the fray in the 38th minute and won a penalty in the 75th minute when Max Kilman mistimed his challenge, allowing Dominic Calvert-Lewin to convert from the spot.
After West Ham pulled level at 2–2, Aaronson remained on the pitch throughout extra time and converted his spot kick in the shootout to send Leeds through to a semifinal showdown with Chelsea, with a potential final against either Manchester City or Southampton awaiting.