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A fresh chapter is beginning for the U.S. men's national team.
Having wrapped up the 2026 World Cup cycle with a round of 16 defeat to Belgium on home turf, recently-extended head coach Mauricio Pochettino is poised to spearhead the next four-year campaign.
Many of the American players featured on the 26-man World Cup roster this summer are expected to fall outside Pochettino's future plans. Veteran skipper Tim Ream, 38, is widely considered finished with the national team, while others like 31-year-old goalkeeper Matt Turner may find themselves on the periphery. In their absence, young and emerging talents are anticipated to step up, building experience ahead of the 2030 World Cup.
And there may be room for a once-familiar face: Josh Sargent, who has slipped out of Pochettino's considerations.
The 26-year-old forward was passed over for the 2026 squad in favor of Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Haji Wright. Sargent has largely been sidelined from contention since Pochettino took the helm in September 2024, earning just six caps since playing a pivotal role at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
However, his recent performances may be shifting the narrative. Though he struggled at Norwich City and was frozen out as he pushed for a transfer in the closing weeks of the 2025–26 season, he has since made Toronto FC his home and Major League Soccer his showcase.
Josh Sargent bagged his first MLS hat trick in style 👏 pic.twitter.com/Ww3zxwOwRA
After arriving via a club-record $22 million transfer fee as a Designated Player in February, Sargent endured a sluggish start in Toronto before finding his best form in years, tallying four goals and an assist across his last four matches. He now has seven goals and two assists in 16 league appearances overall.
On Saturday, he notched his first professional hat-trick in a 4–4 draw against Robert Lewandowski's Chicago Fire, pulling the Reds to within a point of the MLS Cup playoff positions and injecting new life into a club that has struggled since falling short in the 2019 MLS Cup final.
His finishing was equally impressive, driving the ball past USMNT World Cup goalkeeper Chris Brady with relentless power, and converting opportunities that had escaped him earlier in the campaign.
"It's been a while, so I'm really glad to finally get my first professional hat trick," Sargent said after the match. "My kids have been waiting for this. They kept asking me, 'Are you going to score today? Are you going to score today?' So I'm absolutely thrilled about it."
Josh Sargent Begs For Chances
Sargent's earlier difficulties in finding his scoring rhythm weren't entirely his own doing. Head coach Robin Fraser struggled to generate sufficient attacking opportunities, and Toronto were frequently left vulnerable in midfield until the recent addition of former Bundesliga defensive midfielder Niklas Dorsch.
Sargent was routinely left isolated up front due to a lack of transitional support, and injury-prone chance creators like Djordje Mihailovic had been unable to consistently supply quality opportunities for Sargent or his fellow forwards.
Recognizing this pattern, Sargent urged Mihailovic to keep things straightforward in the attack against Chicago.
"We actually spoke before the game, and I just told him, 'Find me. When you get on the ball, find me and try to play me into dangerous areas,' and that's exactly what he did," Sargent said. "It worked."
Winning the USMNT Striker Battle
Given his recent form, there is a genuine possibility that Pochettino turns his attention to Sargent for the autumn friendlies against Peru, Chile, Mexico, and Canada, which kick off later this month. The Toronto striker will be 30 at the time of the next World Cup and brings familiarity with international duty, having earned 29 previous caps.
Meanwhile, there is considerable uncertainty surrounding the USMNT's European-based options. World Cup standout Folarin Balogun has yet to feature for AS Monaco this season and endured a turbulent, unsuccessful move to Everton, while Haji Wright is not expected to return from injury until November.
That leaves Pepi as the sole option at the No. 9 role. He has three goals in five games with PSV Eindhoven, making him the most in-form American talent under 30 currently playing in Europe.
Sargent could comfortably slot into a backup role under Pochettino, but will need to outshine other in-form MLS forwards, including 17-year-old Julian Hall of Red Bull New York and Vancouver Whitecaps' 30-year-old Brian White, who leads all U.S. strikers in MLS with 13 goals this season.
Falling between Hall and White in terms of age could work in Sargent's favor. His hat-trick alone won't guarantee a USMNT recall, but with Pochettino expected to rotate and experiment during the fall window, an opportunity may exist for Sargent to score his way back into the international picture.