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With fewer than 50 days remaining before the 2026 FIFA World Cup gets underway across North America, star players around the globe are facing heightened scrutiny. Are they in good enough shape to earn a spot on their national team? Do they have the ability to make a real impact?
You can be sure that coaches are leaving nothing to chance in their quest for international glory, and that includes U.S. national team boss Mauricio Pochettino, who will announce the final tournament squad for the Stars and Stripes on May 26 ahead of warm-up friendlies against Senegal and Germany.
Almost every player in the U.S. player pool is stepping up their game, yet a handful have managed to rise above the competition, doing everything possible to all but lock down their place for a hectic summer.
Here's our stock up, stock down breakdown for the USMNT.
USMNT Stock Up
Matt Turner
Just when it looked like he had been written off—destined to play second fiddle to Matt Freese at the World Cup—goalkeeper Matt Turner delivered a breathtaking performance on Wednesday night.
The experienced shot-stopper almost single-handedly secured three points for the New England Revolution in the midweek fixture, beating Atlanta United 2–1. The Five Stripes may have taken the lead just before halftime, but Turner kept them at bay from that point on, recording eight saves in total and giving his team the chance to mount a comeback, netting twice within five minutes.
Atlanta grew increasingly desperate in the closing stages, racking up 23 shots on the night, yet Turner was commanding throughout. He produced a crucial diving save in the 89th minute to concede a corner, then repeated the feat in the final 15 seconds of stoppage time.
The Revolution claimed their first away victory of the season, and Turner's outstanding display earned him a place in the league's Team of the Matchday.
Pochettino may need to reconsider Turner's value to the team. The 31-year-old not only brings vital leadership to the dressing room, having started at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, but clearly still has plenty to offer.
Folarin Balogun
Folarin Balogun is certainly staking a strong claim for the starting No. 9 role this summer, hitting peak club form at precisely the right moment.
He netted his eighth goal in as many Ligue 1 appearances for AS Monaco on Sunday, converting a 59th-minute penalty to help his side salvage a 2–2 draw with Auxerre. His season tally now stands at 18 goals.
The 24-year-old has been a key figure in Monaco's late push for European competition, contributing to six wins and a draw across those last eight matches. The club sits seventh in the table with four games to go.
Balogun's remarkable run of form has even caught the attention of USMNT legend Clint Dempsey, who told Sports Illustrated that he's excited to see how the striker performs on the biggest stage.
"I am looking forward to that battle of our strikers and who's going to be that main No. 9, but for me, just Balogun's form and how well he has been doing at Monaco, I am looking forward to seeing how that translates to the World Cup."
USMNT Stock Down
Mark McKenzie
Mark McKenzie has endured a difficult stretch recently. During a humiliating 4–0 defeat to Lille in Ligue 1, the Toulouse center back was shown a straight red card for a last-man foul—pulling down the opposing forward by the shoulder—a moment of recklessness that Pochettino will not want to see repeated this summer.
He was handed a two-match ban and has consequently been sidelined since, with a return to action scheduled for Saturday. At a time when consistent playing time and showcasing one's abilities are absolutely crucial, McKenzie's absence is hard to overlook. Toulouse have also struggled in his absence, falling to Lens in both league and Coupe de France action this week.
The 27-year-old, hoping to make his World Cup debut, will need to demonstrate to Pochettino that he can maintain his composure under any circumstances.
Tim Weah
The Olympique de Marseille winger received some unwelcome news this week, losing his starting spot on Saturday for the first time in Ligue 1 since last November. Weah, replaced on the right wing by Hamed Traorè, sat on the bench for the opening half against FC Lorient before coming on after the interval. Marseille fell 2–0, their third defeat in four matches. It was also Weah's first league appearance since November in which he played fewer than 90 minutes.
The 26-year-old's demotion from the starting eleven may be linked to his lack of output—he has gone without a goal contribution since January. Marseille are back in action on Sunday against OGC Nice, and Pochettino will be watching closely to see whether Weah reclaims his starting berth.